


Burning The Wound

by durid



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF Stiles, F/M, M/M, Mage, Magic, Multi, Sciles, Scisaac - Freeform, Stiles-centric, Teen Wolf, Violence, Werewolves, it's sort of a Lord Of The Rings kind of vibe au, lots of Stiles being Stiles, lots of action, some werewolves, sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-10 15:49:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 53,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2030865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/durid/pseuds/durid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The world was spinning as Stiles fell down the hill. Rocks and bumps leaving nasty bruises all over his body. It seemed to go on forever.</p><p>He landed on his back in a way you couldn't exactly call graceful. All the air was knocked out of his lungs as he wheezed and rocked back and forth a few times.</p><p>"Fuck!" He groaned.</p><p>"Stiles!" A deep voice came from seemingly everywhere at once, vibrating through Stiles. The boy immediately jumped up and looked around. Trying to find the source of the mysterious voice.</p><p>He didn't see anyone, he did however see a bunch of leaves being rustles by the wind, revealing a small opening into the mountain wall. Stiles wouldn't be Stiles if he wasn't going to investigate this new found mystery opening.</p><p>He walked towards it, carefully looking everywhere to make sure there weren't any wild animals around, or a bunch of necromancers. He definitely didn't want a repeat of last time.</p><p>Nobody was around so Stiles climbed through the small opening, barely fitting through.</p><p>After a couple of feet he fell down and found himself in a dark circle shaped room. In the middle was a pedestal. On the pedestal was a book. A sound came from it.</p><p>A heartbeat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this is a new idea i got while at work. This doesn't mean I'll stop my other Teen Wolf fic. In fact, that will be updated tomorrow so...yeah.
> 
> Let me know what you think! Be honest alright?

The little sphere of water in front of Stiles was floating peacefully, minuscule waves tainting the surface. It's supposed to be a perfectly smooth orb, but Stiles couldn't hold his focus good enough.

 

"DUDE!" The door slammed open as Scott barged in. The water immediately plummeting to the ground and splashing Stiles' feet. The previously concentrate boy now rolled his eyes.

 

"Dude, could you at least knock?" He said as he held out his hand and channeled his mind into the water, making it float again. The sphere even less smooth now. "Deaton's gonna kill me if I can't do this tomorrow." He said as he tried to smooth out the floating orb.

 

"They're back!" Is all Scott said.

 

The water dropped immediately again as Stiles' hands tightened into fists.

 

"They're back?" He asked for confirmation.

 

"They're back!" Scott nodded.

 

Without another word Stiles ran past Scott out of his room, knowing full well his best friend would follow him. He ran out of his house, not even bothering to saddle up his horse. He went straight for the town square. Beacon Hills wasn't that big of a town, almost everybody knew each other. But right now Stiles didn't have time for polite greetings as he sped past everyone he knew, only stopping when he saw the horses.

 

His dad was leading a group of rangers into a mission. He'd been gone for three weeks now. Supposedly a cult of Vampires were causing mayhem in one of the mountain villages and they didn't have enough forces to stop it.

 

Scott's mom was with them too, she was riding next to Stiles' dad, as second in command. She was the best healer in Beacon Hills. Scott didn't inherit her talent for magic, but he made up for that in his skills with a sword.

 

"When did they get back?" Stiles spoke in the air but he knew Scott was right behind him.

 

"I saw the banners just a couple of minutes ago." Scott said as he walked up next to Stiles. "Came to you straight away."

 

"Good!" Stiles smiled before running up to his dad. "Dad!" He exclaimed as he hugged his dad who barely had time to get off his horse.

 

"Son!" His dad smiled as he hugged back. "Did you manage?" He asked, knowing about Stiles' habit of getting in trouble.

 

"Pfffff!" Stiles exclaimed. "Of course I managed! I even completed that light spell I was working on!" He stated proudly. "Wanna see?!" He asked, rubbing his hands together, eager to show his dad his improvement.

 

"Later, kiddo!" His dad spoke apologetically. "We lost a few good man and I have to report to the mayor. After that you can tell me all about your training over dinner. Deal?" He asked.

 

"Sure!" Stiles agreed. He looked behind him to see Scott and his mom hugging. Scott always hated when his mother had to leave for long missions, but she was the best at what she did and sometimes when a mission was just too important she had to leave the hospital.

 

"Stiles!"

 

Stiles heard his name getting called and he turned around to see Deaton coming at him. Fuck. Did he have time to run away or was Deaton too clo-

 

"Good thing I saw you here!" Deaton said as he suddenly appeared in front of Stiles. Leaving the boy to wonder if he was really fast or just used some sort of teleportation spell. "How is your water control going?"

 

It's not that it wasn't interesting for Stiles, cause believe him, when he found out he had the mage's skill, he couldn't be more thrilled. But all these lessons and tests were making it feel like a duty instead of something awesome.

 

"Yeah..." Stiles blew out a breath. "Pretty great! I'll show you tomorrow!" He smiled forcedly.

 

"Okay.." Deaton agreed. "At sunrise on the training field!" He nodded before disappearing into the crowd again, Stiles can't wait until he'll learn how to do all the cool stuff like that, instead of making water float.

 

"Relieved?" Stiles turned to Scott who was walking up to him, his mother going to report to the mayor as well.

 

"Yeah." Scott admitted. "This was the longest mission she's ever been on." It's true, she'd never been away for more than two weeks. Stiles felt sorry for Scott because he could remember how worried he had been when his dad left for the first time.

 

"Don't worry!" Stiles comforted his best friend. "If anyone tries to hurt Momma McCall I will personally go find them and unleash the power of all the five gods on them. See how they like it!" He smiled.

 

Scott burst out in laughter.

 

"I wasn't joking." Stiles frowned.

 

Scott kept laughing. "Dude you can't even handle the first step of water control, you're never gonna unleash anything on anyone!" He laughed.

 

"I'm still in training!" Stiles huffed. "Of course I'm getting better. Deaton chose me as an apprentice so that should mean something right? He could've chosen Isaac. He is magic too!"

 

"Isaac is a shapeshifter." Scott said. "He's an inner mage. You are an outer mage. The only one in Beacon Hills actually. Deaton didn't have much of a choice." He chuckled as his best friend pouted.

 

"Fine, don't believe me! But one day I'll save all your asses and I'll be chosen as the next Archmage! Mark my words!" He smirked before turning around and walking away.

 

Scott didn't mean to piss him off, and he didn't. He just made him more determined to become stronger and train.

 

"Where are you going?!" Scott called after him.

 

"Training!" Stiles shouted back as he went to his house, this time without Scott.

 

He walked up to the horses that were tied to beam next to his house. One white one, one black and one a brownish color. The white one used to belong to his mother. Stiles didn't know a lot about his mother but from the stories he's heard she was a powerful mage. That's supposedly where he inherited his powers, since his dad didn't have any form of magic at all.

 

"C'mon Snow!" He whispered to the beautiful white horse. Surely his mother wouldn't mind if he'd taken Snow out for a little magic training. "We've got magic to do."

 

He slowly led Snow to the town gate on the edge of the giant forest. As a kid he was told that the forest was dangerous and of all the evil creatures that inhabited it. But as he grew older, Stiles noticed how he started to ignore the warnings and wandered of into the forest. Often with Scott beside. But alone too. And he'd never had any nasty experiences.

 

Except that one time when he and Scott stumbled into a Necromancer hideout. He'd never run so fast in his life. At school they always taught him how to avoid Necromancers and the things they could do to you when they caught you.

 

But other than that, Stiles had some pretty good experience with this forest.

 

As soon as Snow was all saddled up, Stiles rode into the forest. He once found a small lake about thirty minutes from here. That would be the perfect place to go and practice his water control in peace.

 

He rode as fast as he could, loving the feeling of air rushing around him. Hearing nothing but the roar of the wind around him. Wait a second, that sound wasn't just the wind was it?

 

Stiles turned around to see a giant Voidskin chasing him and Snow.

 

Voidskins were nasty. They looked like huge cats but where a cat would have fur, the Voidskin just had smooth pitch black skin. So black it almost seemed like an empty void. Hence the name. They weren't venomous (luckily) but if it got you, you probably wouldn't live to tell the tale.

 

But Voidskins were incredibly rare! Why would this one be so close to the village?

 

He urged Snow to run even faster. If the Voidskin was to catch up to them, they'd be done for. What he didn't expect however, was a second Voidskin jumping in front of Snow, startling the horse and causing her to go wild.

 

Snow staggered, causing Stiles to fall off her back. Before he could jump back on, Snow was running away, leaving Stiles surrounded by nasty drooling Voidskins. Right now he cursed himself that he hadn't trained the novice mind controlling yet. He could easily send these abominations away.

 

Stiles slowly stood up, not wanting to make any sudden movements to jumpstart these angry creatures. They were already baring their teeth and hissing at him as they very slowly prowled closer. Fuck! What was he supposed to do now! He didn't know any offensive spells yet and Scott and his sword were nowhere to be found. Could this really be the end of his short way too uneventful life?

 

The he remembered something he was once taught by his dad. Predators often have very intense eyesight. This was so that they could easily spot their prey but this could also work against them.

 

Stiles - even though he was shaking heavily and probably about ten seconds away from pissing himself - mustered up all the concentration he could manage and held his hands out in front of him, the palms facing each other.

 

In the middle of the space between his hands, a small bright orb of light sparked up, very weak and fragile but bright nonetheless. Stiles kept walking backwards while doing this, to keep enough space between him and the dark predators.

 

He carefully fueled the light, causing it to grow bigger and brighter by the second. After a few seconds it was as big as his head. But now came the tricky part. The Voidskins were now merely inches away from him and he could practically taste their foul breaths from here.

 

Stiles put all his energy and focus into the orb of light at once and it exploded into a bright flash, enveloping the entire area. The brightness was enough to leave the Voidskins whimpering and ducking away. But Stiles had anticipated this and closed his eyes.

 

When he opened them again he could see the Voidskins walking around disorientated and whining and he took his chance.

 

He ran away, off the road into the wild forest. This went against every instinct he had but the Voidskins were blocking his way and who said there weren't more Voidskins on the road?

 

He ran until he couldn't hear the pathetic whining and whimpering anymore and then he ran some more. When he was totally out of breath he finally stopped. Letting his lungs fill with some much needed air again.

 

It was dead silent now and he loved it. No signs of any animals whatsoever. And suddenly, he burst out laughing.

 

He had just survived an ambush by two adult Voidskins by using a simple light spell. He was definitely telling Scott about this. He slowly started walking because the sun was about to set and he honestly had no idea where he was right now.

 

His little flight had carried him into a part of the forest he'd never been before. It made him feel uncomfortable. That feeling was only confirmed when he misplaced his foot and plummeted down the hill.

 

The world was spinning as Stiles fell down the hill. Rocks and bumps leaving nasty bruises all over his body. It seemed to go on forever.

 

He landed on his back in a way you couldn't exactly call graceful. All the air was knocked out of his lungs as he wheezed and rocked back and forth a few times.

 

"Fuck!" He groaned.

 

"Stiles!" A deep voice came from seemingly everywhere at once, vibrating through Stiles. The boy immediately jumped up and looked around. Trying to find the source of the mysterious voice.

 

He didn't see anyone, he did however see a bunch of leaves being rustles by the wind, revealing a small opening into the mountain wall. Stiles wouldn't be Stiles if he wasn't going to investigate this new found mystery opening.

 

He walked towards it, carefully looking everywhere to make sure there weren't any wild animals around, or a bunch of necromancers. He definitely didn't want a repeat of last time.

 

Nobody was around so Stiles climbed through the small opening, barely fitting through.

 

After a couple of feet he fell down and found himself in a dark circle shaped room. In the middle was a pedestal. On the pedestal was a book. A sound came from it.

 

A heartbeat.

 

He slowly walked up to the book, and when he did, the heartbeat was getting louder and louder. It was almost as if the book itself was alive. He inspected the old tome. It was covered in dust and it seemed to have been here for centuries. Yet when he slightly traced his fingers over the cover, it felt warm.

 

Was he gonna open this book? Could opening a book be considered dangerous? Probably not.

 

Mistake.

 

As soon as Stiles only opened the cover slightly, the books slammed open with huge force. The bang echoing through the chasm. Stiles couldn't even read what was written because a red and gold light was emitting from the book in a brightness he'd never seen before. Even when he closed his eyes he could feel the light on his eyelids.

 

He tried to close the book again but when he touched it, the light transferred onto his hand, slowly spreading across it. It felt like Stiles was on fire and he shrieked in pain.

 

The fire was spreading through his entire arm as it was a weird mix of red and gold light. What the fuck was happening. He just wanted it to be over.

 

Stiles fell to the ground and shrieked and whined as the excruciating pain slowly took over his entire body, until all he could feel was the bright hot pain and all he could hear were his own shrieks and cries as he squirmed on the floor.

 

Then suddenly all the pain stopped and Stiles slipped into a dark unconsciousness


	2. Chapter 2

_"Dad!" The little Stiles cried as he ran into the living room, straight into his father's arms._

 

_"It won't go away! I'm scared, daddy!" He sobbed as he clung to his confused father._

 

_"What won't go away son?" His dad asked. Right at that moment a flashing orb of light entered the room, coming towards Stiles and hovering over the little boy's head. His father watched in amazement as Stiles started crying even harder._

 

_"Did you make this?" He asked._

 

_The little Stiles nodded, tears streaming down his face, and a drop of snot leaking out of his nose._

 

_"That's amazing Stiles!" His father complimented. "That's really good! It's nothing to be scared of! It's just a light."_

 

_"But it moves.." The boy spoke hesitantly._

 

_"Because it's magic, Stiles!" His father beamed. Knowing his son inherited his wife's powers. "You're magic."_

 

_"I am?" The boy frowned confusedly._

 

_"Yes!"_

 

_"Is it bad?"_

 

_"Absolutely not!"_

 

_"Do you still love me?"_

 

_"Of course I do son!" His father hugged him tight. "You're my special boy!"_

 

Stiles was awakened from his dream and memory by someone shaking his shoulders. His eyes fluttered open as he looked around. Not in the creepy dark cave anymore, but in some sort of hole in the ground about the size of a house. He was awakened by a girl.

 

"Allison?"

 

"Stiles, are you okay?" Allison looked carefully into his eyes, using her fingers to open them wider.

 

"What are you doing here?" He asked confused.

 

He'd known Allison for years now. Scott used to have a crush on her and they dated for a while until they decided to just stay friends. But Stiles had seen a lot of her then. He actually still considers her a friend. But there was something different about her now. She wasn't dressed in her usual clothing and the smile that usually adorned her face was now far away.

 

"Doesn't matter." She stated curtly after being seemingly content with whatever she was looking for. "Right now we need to get you home because you don't look too good." she said.

 

"Thanks." Stiles frowned before slowly standing up. "You know what, never mind! I actually feel horrible." He confessed when his insides started to turn and his head was spinning. What was happening.

 

"My horse ran off." He realized out loud. "How are we gonna get back?"

 

"I have a horse." Allison smiled at him. There is that familiar smile! Right now she looked a lot more like the Allison he grew up to know. Even though this one was clothed in black leather pads and a suspicious looking hood that was taken back to reveal her face. "He's waiting on the road so we have to climb up. You think you can manage?" 

 

"I think so." He said as he took a few steps. The nausea not subsiding but not increasing either. He could definitely make it from here to the road. Then he'd have to lie down and get a good night sleep because his entire body felt tired and aching.

 

He somehow managed to get to the top of the hill and saw that there was indeed a horse standing there waiting for them. It was the horse Allison was usually riding, but it felt strange seeing it in this environment because Allison always stays in the town.

 

"Climb on back and we'll be off!" Allison nodded to Stiles as he realized he'd been standing there silently staring at her horse just a tad too long. Gods, he really needed some sleep right now.

 

Allison wasted no time whatsoever because as soon as Stiles practically crawled on the back of her horse she just jumped on it and immediately started riding. It went even faster than Snow, which was saying something. The wind was so intense that Stiles' eyes were crying.

 

"All of the gods Allison slow down!" He shouted.

 

"No time!" She shouted back, not taking her eyes off the road. "We have to get you back as soon as possible!"

 

"Who's we?" Stiles shouted. Allison didn't respond. "Why do I need to get back so soon? Allison? What are we running from?" Still no response. "Your lack of response is in no way soothing you know!"

 

He stopped when he heard a familiar sound.

 

"Holy shit! Again!" He exclaimed as he looked behind him to see five Voidskins chasing them. Looking even bigger and angrier than the ones he encountered. "Allison!" He tapped on her back. "Voidskins! Lots and lots of Voidskins."

 

He heard her discreetly mumble a "shit" under her breath but other than that she didn't seem fazed at all.

 

"Hold the reigns!" She commanded as she practically forced the reigns into Stiles' hands, squeezing them shut. Stiles didn't have time to protest because as soon as he was holding them, Allison pulled her legs in while the horse was still running. She made a full 180 twist and landed with her face only inches from Stiles.

 

"Whatever happens, keep riding." She nodded. He sucked in a sharp breath as he nodded. Then she pulled something from her back he hadn't seen at all. Probably due to his fatigue.

 

"Why do you have a bow?" 

 

"Doesn't matter. Eyes on the road!" She reprimanded him as he was staring at her breasts. Not because he wanted to do stuff to them, but because they were  _right in his face!_ Only inches away. "And don't tell Scott about this!"

 

"Noted!" He agreed as he arched his neck to look past Allison.

 

He felt Allison's body move and the next sound was that the sharp snap of a string being let loose, followed by a pathetic howl that immediately seemed to go further and further away. She hit one!

 

"Did you just hit one?!" He exclaimed incredulous.

 

"Shut up I'm trying to focus!" She snapped, and the next sound from her was the snapping of an arrow and another howl. She was really doing this? When did she learn this?

 

This continued three more times until Allison calmly strapped her bow back on her back and turned back around, gently taking the reigns from Stiles as he stared at her in amazement.

 

"Who are you?!" He gaped.

 

"I'm Allison!" She laughed. "You've known me for years!" She spoke above the roaring wind.

 

"Have I really?" Stiles cocked an eyebrow. "Cause the Allison I knew didn't do that!" He said, trying to make himself clearer by flailing around wildly, as he usually does when he tries to prove something.

 

"I will explain everything. When it's the right time."

 

"I think right now is a pretty good time!"

 

"No it's not!"

 

"Allison!"

 

"Stiles!"

 

That shut both of them up. They remained quiet for the entire ride. Until they reached the town gate. They got off the horse and Stiles was about to head home when Allison grabbed his wrist.

 

"Oh no you're not! You're coming with me!" 

 

"Where are we going? Are you gonna kill me? Cause I have dinner planned with my dad and he's been gone for weeks and right now wouldn't be the best time for me so can we please-"

 

"You're coming to my home and you're talking to my dad." She laughed. "We're not gonna kill you." She smiled before turning serious. "For now."

 

"Good gods." Stiles breathed, but followed Allison nonetheless.

 

-

 

"Dad!" Allison shouted as they entered her home, a quite normal looking home to be honest. Not that Stiles would expect anything else from the Argents, who were known for their wealth and hospitality.

 

"What?" Her dad's deep voice sounded from the other room where he was. He entered the living room and saw Allison and Stiles standing. He took one good look at his daughters appearance. "What's wrong?" He frowned.

 

"It happened." She spoke solemnly. 

 

A look of realization dawned on his face. "You found it?!" He exclaimed, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "After all this time?!"

 

"No..." She said and within seconds the almost childish expression dropped from his face. Being replaced by a grim one when he shifted his glance towards Stiles.

 

"Stiles found it?"

 

Allison nodded, Stiles still didn't know what was happening.

 

"We've been looking for it for years and Stiles just happens to find it?!" He exclaimed in anger as he turns away from both of them. "Of all people it had to be Stiles? The town's joke?!"

 

"Now that's just rude!" Stiles frowned in response.

 

Allison's dad seemed to ignore him as he asked his next question.

 

"Please tell me you didn't open the book! Please!"

 

When Stiles didn't respond he barely managed to contain his seething expression.

 

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW I COULDN'T OPEN THE BOOK?! IT DIDN'T COME WITH A MANUAL! BOOKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OPENED AREN'T THEY!" Stiles defended himself from Chris Argent's menacing glare.

 

"Not this one." Allison gently informed him, a stark contrast with her brute father.

 

"Okay, so I opened a book that wasn't supposed to be opened. How bad can that be?" Stiles tried to remain optimistic. "I have it with me, I can just place it back and close it right? No big deal."

 

"You have the tome with you?" Allison asked surprised

 

"Well... yeah.." Stiles frowned as he himself realized he couldn't remember putting it in his backpack. But right now he could sense it being there. As if it was reminding him of it's existence.

 

"Show me!" Chris commanded.

 

Stiles didn't hesitate to follow the order as he quickly scrambled to get the book out of his backpack. He walked to the nearest surface and placed the book on it. He now saw that the book's cover was black with red and gold lines decorating the edges. A gemstone in the middle.

 

He opened the book and to his surprise, this time nothing happened. Just a bunch of ancient looking pages. Empty. All blank. 

 

"I don't get it." Stiles frowned. "What's so special about this?"

 

"What happened when you opened it?" Chris urged.

 

"It messed me up." Stiles winced. "It really hurt and it felt like I was on fire." Just the memory of it increased the throbbing pain in the back of his skull.

 

"That's how I found him." Allison informed her dad. "I was hunting when I noticed the red and gold glow from far away. I"m surprised nobody in Beacon Hills saw it, because it was sky high."

 

"High town walls." Her father grunted. "How high was the blast?"

 

"Very high!"

 

"What's happening?" Stiles interjected. "Why does it matter how high the blast was? At least involve me in this stuff."

 

"High enough for  _him_ to see?" Chris spoke softly.

 

"I'm afraid so." Allison frowned.

 

"Who are you talking about?!"

 

At that exact moment, a black crow flew into the living room through the window, a small scroll in his beak. Chris walked over and slowly took the scroll from the messenger bird. His brow furrowing as he read it.

 

"You were right." He told Allison.

 

"He's coming."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna add a BAMF Allison tag because yeaaaaaaaah


	3. Chapter 3

"Who's coming?" Stiles asked, curiosity taking control.

 

"Stiles can't be here when he arrives." Allison urged her dad. "He'll kill him."

 

"Kill me?! Who's gonna kill me?!" 

 

"Who says we aren't gonna kill him?" Chris raised his eyebrows.

 

"He can control it, dad!" Allison countered. "I'm not killing Stiles, I practically grew up with him."

 

"CONTROL WHAT?!" Stiles shouted, interrupting the heated discussion between daughter and father. Chris looked at his daughter with a face of inner turmoil and eventually just sighed. He then nodded to Allison.

 

"We'll figure something out." He said before pulling Allison close, whispering something in her ear. Stiles was left there standing like a little boy, not knowing what to do right now. He seems to be in the middle of some heavy stuff and he does't even know  _what_ it is.

 

Allison nodded at whatever the hell her dad was saying and then made a beeline towards Stiles. She grabbed him by the upper arm and dragged him to the front door. He was about to protest when she interrupted. "This isn't over. He'll be here in the morning so you have to keep low for the entire day. Meet me at the gate tomorrow at sundown do you understand?"

 

Stiles nodded weakly, not knowing what else to do.

 

"Good!" Allison said and her entire demeanor changed. Her once stern and almost angry face was now the familiar smile and twinkling eyes. "Now go have dinner with your dad and get a good night sleep! You'll need it." She said before opening the door and practically threw him outside. "And don't worry!" She called after him. "We're on your side!" With that she closed the door.

 

"I don't even know what side I'm on." Stiles mumbled weakly before turning away from the now closed door. Scott was standing a couple of feet away from him, seemingly having a discussion with the blacksmith's apprentice. Jackson. He was an asshole.

 

Whatever they talked about seemed to be done because Jackson stomped away and Scott turned around to look confused when he saw Stiles standing at Allison's door, probably looking like a mess.

 

"What were you doing at Allison's?" Scott frowned.

 

"Long story." Stiles stated. "Why were you talking with Dickhead McCheekbones?" He said, nodding his head to where Jackson just stood.

 

"I needed him to sharpen my blade." Scott said with a sour face. "It's dull again."

 

"That's probably because you practice too much man!" Stiles smiled. "If I knew better, I'd think you kept that thing with you when you were sleeping." He joked. "You know you can take days off right? That's usually my technique! Procrastination."

 

"I'll never be a kings guard if I take days off!" Scott frowned. This boy was honestly too obsessed with becoming Kings guard. But Stiles had to hand it to him, if he continued like this, he'd probably become the youngest one in centuries. Scott is possible the best swordsman Stiles has ever seen. Not that Stiles has seen many swordsmen. 

 

Stiles then remembered that he had dinner planned with his dad. He also remembered that Scott still didn't know what was happening. He might have promised Allison not to tell Scott, but Scott is his best friend and he'll tell him everything.

 

"I have to go!" Stiles exclaimed, "But meet me after dinner okay? A lot of stuff is going on and I need you to help me. I'll tell you everything tonight, right now I'm kind of in a hurry so... yeah... bye!" He said as he turned around and ran to his house, giving Scott one last wave. Leaving the boy standing there confused.

 

 

-

 

 

"Stiles, are you okay?"

 

Stiles was shaken out of his thoughts by his frowning dad, looking at him across the dinner table.

 

"Yeah." He stammered. "Why?"

 

"Because for the past ten minutes you've been staring at me with dead eyes while you're usually thrilled to hear about my expeditions and missions." His dad said, and Stiles almost laughed at how childish his father looked, like he wasn't getting the recognition he deserves.

 

"Yeah, no... sorry. I think I'm getting a bit sick or something I don't know." Stiles didn't exactly lie, he was actually feeling terrible. But not in the regular stomach flu kind of way. More in the -what the hell is going on and am I gonna die because of it- kind of way. "But really, I'm listening. Go on." He urged his dad.

 

"Okay!" His dad perked up. "So we were in this calm little town, and me and Parrish were up front, but everything was empty. It looked like a ghost town actually. Then out of nowhere, a bunch of vampires jumped us!"

 

"Holy shit!" Stiles exclaimed

 

"Language!" His dad scolded. "Anyway. So Thomas got bitten, he's in the infirmary now, they're doing their best to get the virus out. Teresa got a knife in the leg, but she's not critical." His dad spoke before saying. "And we lost Chuck..."

 

"No way!" Stiles was shocked to say the least. Chuck was always one of his favorite townspeople. He was always nice and sometimes gave him some good advice. He was a skilled archer too.

 

"Yeah, a dagger hit him in the chest. Didn't go out just like that though." A sad smile formed on his dad's face. "He took five of them with him. Always was a tough son of a bitch."

 

"Language!" Stiles now scolded his dad.

 

"Sorry." His dad apologized with a soft smile, before shrugging the horrible news off and continuing the story. "So it turns out the vampires were from the Coldheart clan!"

 

"I thought that clan ended when the last survivor was killed two years ago?" Stiles frowned. He could still remember how happy his dad had been when they finally defeated the Coldheart clan.

 

"Me too. But as it turns out, a lot of the have been hiding in a cavern in the Red Forest. So that's gonna be our next mission." He said with a bite out of his juicy chicken.

 

"But that's halfway across the land!" Stiles exclaimed, the food falling out of his mouth as he protested. "You'll be gone for months! Dad, can't they just send someone else? You just got back."

 

"I'm sorry son, but things don't work like that. I'm leaving next week." His dad spoke apologetically.

 

"So soon?!"

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"Yeah yeah." Stiles huffed as he shoved his plate away, suddenly not feeling that hungry anymore.

 

"Stiles, we talked about this. I'm the captain of the city guard. They can't send our troops out on such a dangerous mission without a leader to guide them. They did that once and nobody returned."

 

"Can't they just send Parrish? He's pretty good right?" Stiles was practically whining now.

 

"Parrish is good yes, but he's young. He doesn't have that much experience. He could make rookie mistakes. I'm sorry but this is final." His dad ended the discussion with a face that was both stern and sad. An odd combination.

 

"So.... How's the magic doing?" He asked, totally not feeling at home in the whole magic business. That was more Stiles' and his mother's area. He was good at fighting and tactics. Period.

 

"S'fine" Stiles grunted. "I am better at controlling light now and my water is almost completely smooth." He mumbled, trying to hide his enthusiasm on this subject because he was still pissed.

 

"How about fire? Have you picked that up again yet?"

 

"Not really, I can still make a decent flame, but I can't seem to improve so I just kind of gave up on that... For now!" He quickly added when his father frowned, he knew how his dad thought about quitters.

 

"And earth?"

 

Stiles actually snorted at that. "Dad, you know I hate earth. It's so..." He finished his sentence by pulling a face and waving his hands.

 

"Air?" His dad was obviously getting more and more frustrated at Stiles' obvious lack of process.

 

"Air is the hardest!" Stiles whined.

 

"So you need to practice it more!" His dad urged.

 

"I'M DONE!" Stiles nearly shouted as he stuffed the last piece of chicken down his throat. Anything to get away from what seemed to become a lecture. "Love to chit chat but I'm supposed to meet up with Scott, so see you tonight! Bye!"

 

Before his dad could even get a word in, Stiles was out of the front door, looking for Scott.

 

He eventually found him at the stable, feeding an apple to a horse. When Scott noticed him he smiled and continued to feed the horse. When the apple was done, he wiped his hands on his shirt and walked over to Stiles.

 

"So what did you want to tell me?" He asked, not knowing what bomb Stiles was about to drop on him.

 

Stiles told him everything.

 

-

 

"So Allison was in a tight leather suit kicking ass?" Scott asked, staring at thin air with a dazed smile.

 

"That's not the most important thing that came out of this story Scott!" Stiles huffed.

 

"Yeah, yeah. I know, but..."

 

"But what?"

 

"It's kind of hot."

 

"SCOTT!"

 

"SORRY!"

 

"People will probably try to kill me in the near future and your first thought is how hot your ex girlfriend looks in leather. I am doubting our friendship right now!" Stiles groaned.

 

"You're right, that was stupid." Scott apologized. "So are you scared?"

 

"To death." Stiles breathed honestly. "But there's nothing I can do about right now, so I'll guess I'll just wait and see what happens next."

 

Scott nodded. "And if they come to kill you, they have to get past me first!" He said, suddenly turning dead serious. Stiles always knew Scott was tough, but right now he looked like he could defeat an entire army if he had to.

 

"Thanks." He smiled weakly. "But right now I'm actually really tired, so I think I'm gonna go to sleep." 

 

"I understand." Scott smiled.

 

Stiles was about to turn around and run away, when a cold metal blade was pressed to his throat from behind.

 

"So this is the boy?" A deep voice sounded from behind him.

 

"Apparently." Another one grunted in confirmation.

 

Scott's eyes widened in panic as he realized what was going on, He desperately reached for the sword on his hip but he left it at home. Stiles was desperately trying not to swallow so his adam's apple wouldn't bob the knife.

 

"We could just slit his throat and be done with it right now..." The first voice hissed.

 

Suddenly Allison appeared in front of them, bow cocked, string fully pulled and an arrow pointing directly at Stiles.

 

"Allison?" Scott swallowed in fear.

 

"Aaah Allison." The first voice spoke friendly.

 

"Care to help your old grandpa finish this?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Allion, please don't do this." Scott spoke slowly. "You've known us for years. You wouldn't kill Stiles. Right?" He watched desperately as Allison kept her bow aimed at Stiles. Her grandpa holding a knife to his throat. Stiles was still frozen still.

 

"Allison, shoot him. Do what you were trained for." The old man smirked.

 

"Trained for?" Stiles spoke for the first time. "You were trained to kill me?"

 

"No." Allison spoke hard. "I wasn't trained to kill anyone." She drifted her glance to her grandpa. "I was trained to protect people."

 

"I don't know if you've noticed.." Stiles began slowly. "But I'm not feeling exactly protected right now. Quite the opposite actually. I'm feeling a bit threatened." That earned him a pushing of the knife. The blade now drew a little blood and it trickled down his neck.

 

"He's annoying." Allison's grandfather's servant spoke.

 

"Can I at least know the name of the guy who's about to slice my throat?"

 

"Gerard." Allison spoke. "Gerard Argent.

 

"Pleasure to meet you." Gerard smirked, pushing the knife even further into Stiles' neck, making the boy wince at the sharp feeling.

 

"I'd like to say likewise but my dad taught me not to lie." Stiles quipped. And again the knife went deeper.

 

"Stiles can you please just.... not act like you for a second!" Scott begged his best friend. "It's gonna get you killed."

 

The entire situation was tense. The only relaxed person was Gerard, and that's probably because he's a psychopath.

 

"So, what's happening now?" Stiles asked. Suddenly noticing the embarrassing amount of sweat on his face. He must be worse at hiding his petrifying fear than he though he would be.

 

"That depends." Gerard calmly replied. "Either Allison shoots you, or I slice your throat. But I rather have her do it. Sort of an initiation really." 

 

"Allison?" Scott looked at her with about ten different emotions in his eyes. Allison's face didn't change one bit. She still had her cold determined face. Stiles didn't know if he felt better because of that or not.

 

"Let him go."

 

Better. Definitely better.

 

"Excuse me?" Gerard asked, for the first time actually taken aback.

 

"Let him go." Allison repeated her command. "Or I'm shooting you."

 

"Now now, Allison... You wouldn't kill your own grandfather would you?" Gerard tried to laugh, but it was obvious he was getting incredibly uncomfortable. "Could you honestly live with yourself?"

 

"I wouldn't kill you." She replied, a stone cold face. "I'd shoot you in the knees. Both of them. You'll never walk again, and yes, I could live with that." She said, raising both eyebrows in a daring expression.

 

Gerard seemed to contemplate his options for a second, before slowly, excruciatingly slowly, removing the blade from Stiles' neck. Stiles didn't hesitate for a second to jump away from the creepy old guy and seek refuge next to Scott.

 

"We'll leave him alone for now." Gerard nodded. "But this isn't over Allison. Your action will have consequences!" He threatened letting his eyes gaze over all of them. "For all of you." 

 

He gestured for his second in command and they both walked away. Leaving the three teens standing there in silence.

 

"Shit!" Allison breathed as she lowered her bow, as if all the tension left her at once. Stiles and Scott immediately went to support her as they saw her legs sway.

 

"Are you alright?" Scott frowned. 

 

"That was the scariest thing I've ever done." Allison admitted. "He might be my grandpa, but he's terrifying."

 

"I noticed." Stiles confirmed. "Is he the one who sent the crow?" He said, suddenly remembering the message Allison got.

 

"Yeah, I didn't expect him so soon, he has an entire organization following his every order." Allison explained as she started walking, so the boys just started following her. "They usually travel in a caravan so I thought he'd be here by tomorrow. He probably went ahead with Sven."

 

"Sven?"

 

"Big grumpy guy."

 

"I see."

 

"The rest of the caravan will be here tomorrow. When that happens, I have no leverage. I can take two of them. Gerard knows that, but nor thirty." Allison said. "We have to get Stiles away from Beacon Hills." 

 

"I can fight too! We don't have to run." Scott said. "I can probably take some of them. Maybe Isaac can help us too? He's a nice guy."

 

"You won't make it." Allison countered. "These are fully trained Shadowblades, we won't stand a chance with just us four."

 

"Shadowblades..." Stiles repeated, knowing for sure he'd read about that somewhere. "Is that what you are too?"

 

"Not yet." Allison stated. "You're not officially a Shadowblade until you turn eighteen. I could probably take a lot of the adults. It's just a title actually."

 

"What do you do?" Scott asked. They had now reached the blacksmith where Jackson was busy hammering a sword. The forge giving him a gloomy look in the dark night sky.

 

"We protect people." Allison answered Scott before turning to Jackson. "I need about two hundred arrows by the morning. Do you think you can manage that?" She spoke professionally. 

 

"That's gonna take all night." Jackson snorted. "No way I'm gonna do that. You might be pretty but that only gets you so far."

 

"I see." Allison clicked her tongue, ignoring Scott and Stiles' groans of annoyance at the arrogant blacksmith apprentice. "And how far does this gets me?" She asked before pulling out a coin purse and throwing it at him.

 

Jackson dropped his hammer and caught the coin purse thrown at him. He unlaced it and opened it a little, looking inside. 

 

"Far enough. You can pick them up by sunrise."

 

Allison nodded and turned around, nodding for the other boys to follow her.

 

"Protect you from what's inside Stiles." She spoke, as if the previous conversation had never been interrupted at all.

 

"But what is inside of me?!" Stiles whined.

 

"I'll tell you tomorrow." She stated. "I'm going home. Stiles there's been a change of plans, meet me at the gates at noon. Scott you should come with us. You're involved now as well." They had now ended up at her front door.

 

"Allison will you please answer me?" Stiles was now begging.

 

"Tomorrow." She nodded before opening her door and going inside, throwing it shut straight after her, leaving the boys outside.

 

"I wish I'd never found that stupid book!" Stiles groaned as he turned around to face Scott. "This morning I was just a badly performing mage's apprentice and now I'm a human target for some sick cult called the Shadowblades. I'm never gonna get sleep tonight."

 

"Don't worry." Scott smiled. "I'm with you all the way."

 

"Didn't you hear her?" Stiles frowned, not believing his friend's words. "I'm leaving Beacon Hills tomorrow. The Gods know for how long."

 

"I know. And I'm going with you." Scott nodded

 

"That's so nice." Stiles smiled.

 

"Now pack your stuff!" The swordsman commanded with a smile. "We'll get answers tomorrow and we'll probably need to survive out in the wild for a while. I'll meet you after breakfast. We'll be fine."

 

"Gods I hope so." Stiles sighed.

 

"Goodnight." Scott nodded before walking off. Stiles decided to go home too.

 

He went home and found his dad sitting at the dining table, notes of the previous mission scattered all around him, asleep with his head on the table.

 

Stiles pulled a duvet from one of the baskets, placing it over his dad.

 

"Goodnight dad." He whispered. "I love you."

 

He walked to his room and found that, against his previous comments, he was dead tired. He'd probably fall asleep in no time. He figured he could always pack in the morning. He didn't have that much stuff anyway.

 

He plopped down on his bed. His body suddenly giving in to the fatigue of the past events. He couldn't even bring himself to go lie underneath the duvet so he just closed his eyes, with all his clothes on.

 

Then he fell asleep.

 

-

 

"STILES!"

 

Stiles jolted awake, coming face to face with a panicked looking Scott who was shouting his name.

 

"Stiles we have to go now!"

 

"What's happening?"

 

"The city is under attack! Everything is on fire! We have to go! NOW"

 


	5. Chapter 5

"They can't see you, we have to get out the backdoor!" 

 

Stiles followed Scott down the stairs. Scott was extremely tense. His sword drawn and held out in front of him. Screams could be heard from outside and sweat was already starting to form on Stiles' forehead from the heat that was surrounding them.

 

"Where's my dad?"

 

"He's outside, defending the town." Scott said, not taking his eyes off their course.

 

Stiles' heart jumped when a loud bang was heard and all the windows in the house shattered. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Stiles shouted, trying to hear himself over the extremely loud ringing in his ears.

 

"It's been going on like that all morning." Scott informed him, they almost reached the door. "A miracle it didn't wake you up. These guys use some form of magic I've never seen before. It's complete destruction outside."

 

He opened the door and Stiles had to admit Scott was right. Houses everywhere were on fire and people were running around and screaming. A bunch of corpses were on the ground and the only people who weren't running were the people walking very calmly. It was eerie actually. 

 

All dressed in black, including a hood and a mask covering their entire face, safe for their eyes. Some of them were wielding pitch black swords and others were shooting jagged arrows from dark smooth bows. But most of them were indeed using some insane form of magic.

 

Black orbs were dancing around their hands and when they threw them, they caused use explosions, much like the one Stiles just heard. 

 

"I need to find my dad!" Stiles grabbed Scott's arms to stop him. Scott was already heading towards the town gate .

 

"No way! We need to get you out of here now!"

 

"You don't even know this has anything to do with me!" Stiles countered. "I need to say goodbye before-" He stopped midway through his senses when three of the figures in black stopped what they were doing and spotted Stiles.

 

"Get the vessel!" One of them barked, and suddenly they were all running towards the two boys.

 

"Run!" Scott shouted, as if Stiles hadn't thought of that. Both boys took off in the opposite direction. Running away from their chasers. 

 

"Maybe... They want... Us alive?!" Stiles panted as he was running for his life. His idea however was smashed when an arrow barely missed Stiles' head and shot through his hair. "Never mind!"

 

Suddenly They were blasted through the air and landed on the ground about six feet from where they were. It sounded like one of those mysterious black orb explosions.

 

Stiles rolled on his back and saw Scott next to him doing the same. They had now lost a lot of ground and the three hooded figures were frighteningly close. One of them had his hand raised towards the boys and one black orb was right in front of it, ready to shoot.

 

"Where's Allison when you need her." Scott breathed.

 

Right at that moment a roar was heard. The hooded figures stopped in their tracks, much to Stiles' relief. That relief turned into surprise when someone jumped over him and Scott and punched the front figure in the face.

 

The person turned around to reveal he wasn't a person at all. Well.. not exactly. He was human, but with glowing yellow eyes, fangs, claws and huge sideburns. This must be Isaac.

 

Isaac quickly turned around and ducked for one of the guys' sword. Scott immediately jumped up to assist his friend. Stiles got up as well, but didn't get too close. Instead he tried to gather enough heat in front of him to create a fire. To no success really.

 

Scott successfully disarmed the hooded figure with the sword while Isaac was in a fistfight with the figure wielding the orbs. They both didn't notice the third person, pulling a bow and cocking an arrow.

 

Stiles had to be fast. He managed to create a small cinder in between his hands. He quickly tried to blow on it, getting it to grow into an actual flame but it wasn't working. He started to get frustrated.

 

"By all of the gods I will never curse again if you grant me the power to create this fire to save my friends. Please."

 

That seemed to work. The cinder ignited into a flame about the size of a fist. It wasn't big but it was all he had. Stiles pushed his hands forward and sent the flame reeling. It hit the bowman's hands and he dropped the bow, letting the arrow shoot downwards.

 

Scott used the distraction caused to thrust his sword into his opponent's stomach, successfully incapacitating him. Isaac used his claws to disable his opponent's arms, making the orb swiftly disappear.

 

He got closer and started slashing the guy's chest. Stiles almost felt sorry for him if he hadn't tried to kill them. The third guy looked between the two boys and then at Stiles. It looks like he decided it wasn't worth it because he turned around and fled the scene.

 

"I may not be Allison." Isaac said, shifting until he had an actual human face. "But I think I managed."

 

"Thanks man!" Scott breathed, wiping the blood of his sword on his shirt.

 

"We need to find Allison. She knows what to do!" Stiles panted, today's activities being extremely demanding. 

 

"Do you think she'll be at the gate? That was the plan all along, maybe we can find her there and she'll help us defeat these Shadowblades. "

 

"I don't think we have a choice." Stiles shrugged. "Isaac what are you gonna do now?"

 

"I don't know." Isaac frowned. "They killed my dad so there's nothing left for me here. I guess I'll go with you until the gate. I might leave Beacon Hills."

 

"Wow." Stiles and Scott both breathed. His father just got killed and he reacted so calmly about it.

 

"Let's go then." Stiles nodded.

 

They headed to the gates, carefully avoiding every person they saw. That is until they saw Stiles' dad and Scott's mother fighting back to back.  He was holding a sword and fighting three of the cloaked people at once while she was holding up a light ward surrounding every black orb so they wouldn't explode.

 

"Dad!" Stiles shouted, gaining his dad's attention, but he immediately turned his attention back to the fight.

 

"Stiles!" He shouted while guarding his left shoulder with a quick swipe. "Allison told me everything! She's at the gate right now! Go! We'll catch up eventually, we'll manage for now." He said, ducking while a sword barely missed his head.

 

"Sure?!" Stiles shouted, hating the idea of leaving his dad.

 

"We don't have much of a choice, Stiles." Scott grimaced. "We don't have much time."

 

Stiles hated it but he agreed. They started running to the gate.

 

"Love you mom!" Scott yelled.

 

"Love you dad!" Stiles shouted. 

 

Both their parents returned the sentiment without keeping their eyes off their fight.

 

Stiles had hoped to reach the gates without getting seen but unfortunately things didn't always go as planned. As soon as they turned the corner they saw two of the hooded attackers slice some woman's throat.

 

"That's Lydia's mother." Scott hissed, and when Stiles looked at the woman again, he saw it too. As she fell lifeless to the ground, the two attackers turned their attention to the three boys.

 

"Let's do this." Isaac said, growing his nails into claws. Gold seeping into his eyes. 

 

Scott and Isaac charged at the two mysterious attackers. Stiles stayed at a safe distance for obvious reasons. It didn't take more than a few seconds till Scott and Isaac were standing over two corpses.

 

"Is she really...?" Scott asked, gesturing to Lydia's mother.

 

"Yeah.." Isaac confirmed with a soft nod. "I can't hear a heartbeat."

 

The boys weren't very close with Lydia, but still. They grew up with her, it's a small village. Lydia was exceptionally smart, but her priorities were elsewhere, mostly in her appearance.

 

"We're gonna have to tell her." 

 

"If she's still alive."

 

"Do you really think Lydia would let them touch her?" Scott said, having full trust in Lydia's personality.

 

"Her attitude is not gonna save her from this massacre." Stiles pointed out. "Assertive or not, a wound still bleeds. But let's hope she's made it somewhere save, along with most of Beacon Hills. For now, we have to get out."

 

Isaac and Scott nodded and the three finally finished their journey to the gates of Beacon Hills. But it wasn't much saver.

 

Just before the gate, Jackson was fighting one on one while Lydia was kneeling next to an old man, seemingly applying pressure to a wound that was bleeding furiously. Allison was firing a volley of arrows into every figure in black she could reach. As soon as she saw them a look of relief crossed their face.

 

"What took you so long?" She shouted as she fired another arrow. "I thought you two would've been killed by now." She hit one of them in the eye socket.

 

"We had a bit of a delay!" Stiles shouted as he, Scott and Isaac ran towards Allison, the two bigger boys occasionally slicing someone up.

 

"Well, we have to go now. Because these bastards won't stop until you're dead!" Allison said as she shot an arrow into the back of the one who was cornering Jackson. That looked to be the last one. 

 

An eerie silence overtook Beacon Hills as everyone seemed to anticipate what would happen next. The cries of the old man the only thing breaking the silence.

 

"Was that it?" Scott asked. "Are they gone?"

 

"I don't know." Allison frowned.

 

"Listen, Allison. Your Shadowblades are insane. You were talking about protecting people being your goal, but your grandfather practically just burned an entire village just to get to one person. You have to stop him."

 

"That's the thing!" Allison looked Stiles dead in the eye. "These aren't Shadowblades."

 

Stiles' heart sunk into his shoes. There's more people than just the Shadowblades trying to kill him? How was he ever gonna survive outside of Beacon Hills. When did life become this dangerous.

 

"Wait." Isaac interfered. "What in the five Gods is a Shadowblade?"

 

"Long story, I'll explain later." Scott spoke.

 

"What do you mean these aren't Shadowblades?" Stiles exclaimed, on the verge of a mental breakdown. "You warned me about Shadowblades, there's even more?! Who are these guys?!"

 

"I don't know!" Allison groaned. "I'm sorry but I've never seen this sort of thing either."

 

"Maybe this is the Coldheart clan?" Scott opted. "Trying to get to us before our patrols kill them?" It sounded reasonable.

 

"No it can't be." Stiles shook his head in confusion. "The Coldheart clan are all vampires, they would never start an attack at sunrise, they'd be best off if they had the darkness to their advantage."

 

"Well whatever they are." Isaac breathed. "I don't like them."

 

The loudest explosion so far suddenly sounded. Every single person brought their hands to their ears to try and protect their ears from the incredibly loud bang, but to no success.

 

A large cloud of smoke erupted as every house crumbled to the ground as if it were dust. And from the smoke arose the dark figures.

 

It must be at least three hundred of them, all formed into three neat lines. The front line all had the pitch black orbs floating in front of their hands, aimed at the teens at the gate. The second line had swordsman, with all swords drawn in a creepy similar way. The last line consisted of bowmen, strings already cocked and aimed slightly upwards.

 

"RUN!" Scott shouted.

 

"We're never gonna outrun those bows!" Allison countered.

 

"Or those spells!" Stiles added.

 

"We're screwed." Isaac muttered as Jackson dragged Lydia away from the old man who stopped breathing. Jackson joined the others, staring in awe at the incoming legion.

 

" ** _STILES"_  **A deep voice vibrated through Stiles' very core. " _ **STOP THEM."**_ The voice spoke slowly, way too patiently for this situation.

 

"Did you guys hear that?" Stiles whimpered as he stared at the others. They didn't seem to react to the incredibly loud voice.

 

"Hear what?" Lydia frowned, tears on her cheek.

 

_**"NOW"** _

 

"I DON'T KNOW HOW!" Stiles shouted as a reaction to the mysterious voice.

 

" _ **IT WILL COME TO YOU."**_ _ **  
**_

At that moment the spells were fired.

 

The black orbs that were coming at them were rapidly growing in size and soon it looked like a giant black wall rushing towards them.

 

Stiles didn't know what he was doing as he raised his right arm. He didn't know what was happening as a small ball of light formed in front of it, and he definitely didn't know what was happening as that small ball rapidly expanded into a giant ward, probably big enough to cover Beacon Hills entirely.

 

As soon as the light forcefield came in contact with the black wall of death, the black wall evaporated as if it had never been there in the first place. The hooded figures that were hit didn't seem affected at all. Except for one thing.

 

On their chest a certain mark was suddenly glowing red. A perfect circle with a vertical cut straight through the middle, interrupting the circle.

 

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" Scott shouted over a deep rumbling sound.

 

"I don't know!" Stiles panted, suddenly exhausted.

 

"Eh.. guys?" Allison spoke. When Stiles turned around he could see the entire wall around Beacon Hills was shaking as if hit by an earthquake. It's gonna come down and they're gonna be trapped in here. With them.

 

"RUN!" 

 

They all took off as fast as they could. Trying desperately to get through the crumbling gates, pieces of wood and stone were already plummeting down.

 

Isaac was the first to make it through, then Scott and Allison. After that came Jackson. Stiles and Lydia still weren't through the gates as a giant piece fell down, nearly hitting Stiles if he didn't quickly took a few steps to the right.

 

Lydia barely made it and when Stiles finally made it, he could feel a big clump brushing his back. He fell to the ground in exhaustion as he panted. 

 

When he looked back to watch what was once the beautiful wall of Beacon Hills he was in shock. It was now a burning pile of rubble. About sixty feet high with black smoke coming off it. 

 

Beacon Hills was gone.

 

"Did you see that?" Lydia panted, also sitting on the ground. "That mark."

 

"Yeah! What was that?" Scott breathed.

 

"I've seen it somewhere before!" Stiles practically hyperventilated. "In a book Deaton showed me once."

 

"It was the sign of the sixth!" Lydia stated.

 

"The sixth what?" Isaac frowned.

 

"The sixth God!" Lydia emphasized.

 

"The Forbidden God."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoooo sorry but the next update is not gonna come out for at least a week! I'm going to France for the holidays so.. yeah... See you in a week (sort of) 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lots of information in this chapter i'm sorry but it has to happen at some point. the past few chapters were basically just a big prologue but from now on the journey has started! :D

"No, wait!" Scott breathed. "There are five Gods. Not six. Right Stiles?"

 

Stiles didn't say anything, Lydia's statement having chilled him to the bone. He heard about it once, when Deaton was talking to a traveler and thought he was alone. But when Stiles had asked his dad about the sixth God, his father got furious and demanded he'd never speak of it again.

 

"Stiles?" Scott now hesitated.

 

"There are six Gods." Lydia stated again, brushing some dust off her shoulder. "The God of fire, the God of water, the God of air, the God of earth, then comes the most important one to us. The God of Light." She counted on her fingers. "Then... there's the sixth God." She exclaimed, closing her hand into a fist. 

 

"The God of void and darkness." 

 

"Wait, how come I've never heard of this?" Isaac asked. "And judging by their faces, neither have Scott and Jackson."

 

"Because it's forbidden." Allison answered. "Every kind of affiliation with the Sixth is strictly forbidden. The only people who even dare to practice his magic are necromancers and demons." She said before looking over her shoulder to the burning city behind them. "Or so I thought until now."

 

"Those weren't just necromancers." Isaac whispered.

 

"Sure as hell weren't demons." Jackson mumbled.

 

"Allison, for some reason you've been one step ahead of everything so far." Stiles turned to her. "Can you please tell us what just happened? And what does the sixth God have to do with it?"

 

A loud bang was heard from inside Beacon Hills. The entire group jolted and snapped their heads towards the sound.

 

"We'll walk while I explain everything I know." Allison proposed, the fellowship nodded and slowly started walking away from what used to be their home. Not knowing where to go.

 

Stiles heard Jackson softly ask Lydia if she was okay, followed by a question about how she knew all that stuff. Lydia brushed it off by saying she read it somewhere and Jackson didn't ask about it.

 

"So that book Stiles opened." Allison began. "It held a spirit. A spirit that is now in Stiles' body."

 

"So right now there are two souls in one body?" Scott frowned, looking at his best friend for any signs that there might be anything wrong with him.

 

"In a way, yes." Allison nodded. "The Shadowblades were set up with one purpose." 

 

"Protection." Stiles finished for her.

 

"Yes." Allison smiled at him. "But not for everyone. We are meant to protect the spirits."

 

"Spirits as in plural?" Isaac raised his eyebrows. "Stuff like this is going on all around the world or something?"

 

"Not yet!" Allison countered. "But it will be. You see, there are two books filled with a spirit. One was right here. Near Beacon Hills where Stiles found it and opened it. Causing the spirit to flow into him."

 

"And where's the other one?" Lydia asked.

 

"I don't know." Allison grimaced.

 

"You don't know?!" Stiles exclaimed. "You were meant to protect it but you don't know where it is? Did you even know where MY book was?" He asked, his voice raising and he couldn't ignore how he called it "his" book.

 

"No, I didn't." Allison snarked. "Because I didn't need to. If nobody knows where it is, nobody can find it. But now someone opened the first book and we have to get the second one."

 

"Why?" Stiles asked.

 

"Because we need to get that book before the others do."

 

"What others?"

 

"Everyone!" Allison stopped walking. "The only one allowed to open the second book is you Stiles."

 

"Why me?" Stiles whined. "I already have one."

 

"And that's exactly why! The spirits are of ancient heralds. One of the God of light, and the other of void and darkness. They need to combine to create a balance or the entire world as we know it may stop to exist."

 

"Wow." Scott breathed.

 

"This just became a whole lot more intense." Isaac mumbled.

 

"So which one do I have?" Stiles whispered, suddenly terrified that he might be the vessel to an ancient dark spirit.

 

"Kai'tan" Allison stated.

 

"What?"

 

"Kai'tan." Allison repeated. "That's the name of the spirit.

 

"And who was he?" Stiles asked. "Before he, you know.. became a spirit."

 

"Some say he was a dragon."

 

"A DRAGON?!" five voices shouted into the forest.

 

'But!" Allison exclaimed, immediately trying to calm everyone. "That doesn't mean he actually WAS a dragon. He might have just been an incredibly strong sorcerer." She said. "That's all I know."

 

"Will he stay inside of me?" Stiles asked softly. "Or will he control me and stuff?" He once heard about girl who was possessed by an old necromancer who killed all of her friends, but it could be that it was just a scary story to scare him away from the woods.

 

"The barrier between you two will slowly fade." Allison spoke solemnly. "If we don't get to the second book fast enough, it might disappear forever."

 

"Meaning?" Scott asked.

 

"Stiles will be gone." Lydia spoke up.

 

"Yes." Allison confirmed. "His body will remain, but it will no longer be Stiles. It would be Kai'tan. So we need to hurry up because Kai'tan is already starting to seep into Stiles' conscious."

 

Allison started walking faster.

 

"You noticed?" Stiles asked, referring to the ward incident earlier.

 

"Sorry Stiles but... You're a terrible mage. There's no way you managed to do that on your own." Allison smirked.

 

"That's harsh!" Stiles exclaimed. "I'm a pretty decent mage."

 

"No you're not."

 

"Shut up Jackson."

 

"Where are we going now, Allison?" Isaac spoke.

 

"To the Capital." Allison answered. "Rumor has it that someone in there knows more about the sixth God and his herald."

 

"But the Capital is days away!" Jackson protested.

 

"We'll steal some horses and supplies from the next town we come across." Allison countered. "I left all my gold in Beacon Hills."

 

They all nodded, agreeing that listening to Allison was probably the wisest decision they could make right now. Except for Jackson but after a few soft whispers, Lydia managed to keep him quiet.

 

From then on they walked in silence, the impact of this day's events fully landing on the teens.

 

"Listen, Lydia.." Scott spoke as he lowered his speed to match up with Lydia. "When we were escaping we saw your mom and-"

 

"I know." Lydia whispered.

 

"What?" Scott frowned in confusion. "How?"

 

"I don't know." Lydia shrugged, her face expressionless but sad at the same time. "I just felt it."

 

"Are you holding up?" 

 

"Barely." Lydia smiled weakly. "I'm gonna have to send a raven to my dad though, it's probably best if he got the news from me than from one of his servants." She mumbled.

 

"Yeah, I guess.."

 

"So......" Stiles said, nudging Allison who was staring at the ground while walking. "Who is it we're gonna ask for help?"

 

"Some real sleazy guy, everybody always told me not to trust him but I guess I have no other choice."

 

"What's his name?'

 

"Peter. Peter Hale."


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't want to complain.." Isaac started in a voice that sounded an awful lot like he was going to complain within the next few seconds. "But we've been walking for hours. How long is it gonna take to get to Willow's Grove?"

 

Willow's Grove is the closest town to Beacon Hills and Stiles has been there a few times when he was way younger. He doesn't remember it though

 

"Well, I  _do_ want to complain." Jackson piped up. "My feet are hurting and I'm tired and it's freezing because we didn't take our jackets. If we're not there within an hour I'm gonna kill Stiles."

 

"Woah why me?!" Stiles exclaimed as he frowned at Jackson. Feeling wrongfully accused. "Not my fault you didn't bring a coat."

 

"It's your fault the city is gone." Jackson snarked.

 

Stiles face fell. That was true. If he never opened that stupid book none of this would have happened. It technically is all his fault. Jackson may be an asshole, he was right on this one.

 

"That's not true." Scott came to Stiles' defense. "Jackson, if you found that book you would've opened it too, and we still would've had the same shit so shut up or go back to Beacon Hills if you miss it so much." 

 

That seemed to shut Jackson up. Scott gave him one more glare and then smiled reassuringly at his best friend who nodded gratefully. Thank the gods he could always count on Scott.

 

"We'll be there soon!" Lydia rolled her eyes at Jackson's earlier request.

 

"That's what Allison's been saying for hours." Isaac mumbled.

 

"I wouldn't say it so much if you didn't groan every other second." Allison replied.

 

As Allison and Isaac kept bickering childishly about how long they still had to go, Stiles retreated into his own mind. One question kept popping up.

 

"Guys?" He asked, voicing his concern. "Why didn't anybody help us?"

 

"What do you mean?" Allison frowned.

 

"A whole city burned down today. OUR city. And nobody came to help us. I haven't seen even ONE squad of healers heading towards Beacon Hills so far. That's messed up right?"

 

"Maybe they didn't see it?" Isaac offered. "Beacon Hills is pretty isolated. I mean we have been walking for hours and haven't found a sign of life whatsoever. Maybe they just didn't see it?"

 

"Besides.." Scott added, "As far as we know, we're the only ones that managed to get out. Who would've warned any others?"

 

"It was a really big fire!" Stiles countered. "No way they didn't see it." He turned around and looked up. "See?" He pointed. "I can still see the smoke rising in the air from here. And we're miles away."

 

"Maybe they used a concealment spell?" Lydia mumbled.

 

"Do those exist?" Stiles wondered. He'd never heard of those kinds of spells.

 

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I've never seen it or heard of it. But I have also never seen the kind of dark magic the cultists used. It's definitely a possibility that they can use a concealment spell. It definitely fits in with the void theme."

 

"Cultists?" Scott frowned.

 

"Those guys in black." Lydia explained. "They were using void magic and they bore the crest of the sixth God. They must be part of some sort of cult that worships the Forbidden."

 

"That actually makes sense." Jackson whispered incredulous.

 

"Don't act surprised." Lydia scoffed and slapped his shoulder. "They probably need Stiles to get the other book. We can't let them have Stiles."

 

"Nobody's having me!" Stiles protested, they're talking about him as if he weren't there.

 

"But we don't know anything about them!" Allison piped up. "How can we defend ourselves against their void magic. It seemed pretty indestructible to me. The only thing that stopped them was Stiles."

 

"Correction." Lydia interrupted. "Like you said, that wasn't Stiles. That was Kai'tan. We need Kai'tan's power to defeat the cultists. They're probably so deep into the void magic that his light magic is terrible to them, that's why they reacted so heavily."

 

"But how do we use Kai'tan's power?" Stiles asked. "It's not like I can control it. He came out on his own and was gone immediately. Who knows wether he'll help us again next time."

 

"He will." Allison nodded. "Kai'tan wants to life, like everyone does. And right now, you're his body. If you die he'll die. So he'll try everything he can to keep you alive, so that includes fighting the cultists."

 

"But that's not enough!" Isaac replied. "Stiles needs to be able to defend himself without Kai'tan's help. You never know, maybe they have something that can numb the dragon's power."

 

"We need to find a mage." Lydia stated.

 

"Maybe we'll find one in the Capital!" Scott offered.

 

"If we make it there." Stiles frowned. He had a nasty feeling in the back of his head, like he was being watched. "No way a little wall of rubble is gonna stop those cultists, and they probably already beat all of Beacon Hill's defenders. I'm definitely sure that the cultists are already on our track."

 

"We'll see." Allison replied. "For now we need to get to Willow's Grove and we'll see from there, all we have to do is survive and get to the second book, no matter what." 

 

"Is that a light?" Jackson suddenly exclaimed, not focusing on the conversation at all, but he was right. Right where he was pointing, a warm light illuminated a gap between the trees.

 

"I think we made it!" Scott practically cheered.

 

"Thank god!" Lydia groaned, finally dropping her cool facade and letting her fatigue shine through. They all walked towards the warm looking lights and within minutes they were standing in Willow's Grove.

 

The city wasn't at all how Stiles remembered it, if he at all remembered it. He thought it would've been normal, but it actually looked terrible. There was mud everywhere and the houses couldn't even be called houses. They were more like crooked shacks placed randomly on the ground.

 

Isaac let out a low whistle. "I guess that's why they call it Willow's Grove."

 

Scott nudged him in the side. Hard. There were people walking by and it wouldn't be nice to insult their town especially when they needed a place to stay tonight. Isaac glared at Scott and rubbed his side.

 

"Let me handle this." Lydia flipped her hair behind her shoulders and led the group into the town. "My dad worked here a couple of years ago so I'll see if I can get us a cheap room at the inn."

 

They followed her further into the town and the houses became even more pathetic. They stopped in front of what Stiles thought was supposed to be an inn. The building was slightly bigger than the rest and there was a sign above the door with most of the letters scraped off. But it probably would have said "The Resting Dragon" 

 

Stiles snorted. How ironic.

 

They stepped inside and Stiles quickly covered his nose because the smell of vomit and liquor was attacking his nostrils. He saw Lydia hold in a disgusted gag and fix her posture again before taking a stride towards the counter where a fat bald man slick with sweat was sleeping.

 

"Uhm... excuse me?" Lydia spoke softly. The man didn't react.

 

"Hello?" She tried again. When he still didn't respond she gently poked him in the arm. Still no reaction.

 

Jackon, tired of the bald man walked up to the counter and slammed it incredibly hard, causing the man to jolt awake. Jackson smiled at Lydia who nodded in appreciation and then stepped back again, letting her handle this.

 

"Yes, hello! My name is Lydia martin, daughter of James Martin. Perhaps you've heard of him?" Lydia spoke courteously. "These are my friends and we just arrived here. We live in Beacon Hills but the city got attacked and it burned down so we need a place to stay, could you please give us a room for now? I'll pay you twice the price later." She ended with a smile.

 

"Beacon Hills?" The man grunted. "Never heard of no Beacon Hills." 

 

Lydia turned around to Stiles who was at a loss for words to.

 

"What?" Lydia mouthed.

 

"I don't know." Stiles mouthed back with the necessary hand gestures. "Maybe he's drunk."

 

Lydia looked as lost as they all felt but nevertheless turned back around to the unpleasant smelling guy. "Beacon Hills is a town, just a few hours from here. And it just got destroyed. Surely you know it."

 

The man sucked his front teeth and then made a disgusting snorting sound. Stiles could practically hear the boogers retreat into the man's throat, it was disgusting.

 

"I'm gonna be sick." Allison gagged, making Scott and Isaac laugh.

 

"Hey Jonah!" the man behind the counter called.

 

"Yeah?" A voice came from behind one of the doors behind the counter.

 

"Ever heard of Bacon Hills?"

 

"Beacon Hills." Lydia huffed.

 

"Beacon Hills?" The man repeated with a roll of his eyes.

 

"Nope, never." The voice replied. "Why?"

 

"Some drunk teenagers think they're being funny." the bald one replied before turning back to Lydia. "I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

 

"You've got to be kidding me!" Lydia exclaimed.

 

"Please leave the building." Baldy spoke, trying his best to sound fancy but it just sounded wrong.

 

"Listen, we can pay you in a few days!" Allison offered. "Who cares where we came from, just let us sleep here for tonight. We'll make sure you get your gold." 

 

"I don't trust you." The man squinted his eyes. "If you want a sleeping place so bad you can just sleep in the stables in the south side. Not here. Now leave before I call Jonah in here."

 

"This is ridiculous!" Jackson protested.

 

"JONAH!" The man roared. One of the doors behind him opened, revealing the biggest guy any of them had ever seen. He must be about two heads longer than Stiles and three times as broad. His eyes were also glowing gold.

 

"He's a Shapeshifter!" Isaac nudged Allison.

 

"We need to go." Allison nodded. She stepped forward and pulled Lydia's arm. They quickly made their way out of the inn.

 

"Sorry for bothering you!" She shouted just before the door closed.

 

"What do we do now?" Scott groaned and Stiles had to admit, he was feeling it too. He was so tired. The sun wasn't even down but today's events have been so draining. 

 

"I guess we'll do what he said." Allison shrugged. 

 

"What?" Jackson scoffed.

 

"No!" Lydia huffed.

 

"We're sleeping in the stables.

 

-

 

It didn't take long to find the stables. They just walked south until Isaac smelled horse poop and then they followed that scent. The stable was terrible but at least it would put a roof over their head and the cultists probably wouldn't think to look here.

 

After they had all chosen the "perfect" place in the giant stack of hay they stopped talking in the hopes of sleeping. But Stiles didn't. Well... he tried. But failed. He kept thinking about his dad, fighting those cultists. Then the gates collapsing, trapping everyone inside.

 

Then for the first time in a very long time... Stiles cries.

 

He cries because of everything that's happened. His life is all messed up, he's gonna be possessed by an ancient dragon soul. He is basically the cause that his home is no more. He dragged his friends (and Jackson) into a possible suicide mission they probably don't even want to be part of, and he left his father in Beacon Hills. If Stiles could change one thing in the past few days, he would've taken his dad and Melissa.

 

So he cries. Even though he can practically feel Jackson rolling his eyes and Isaac plugging his oversensitive ears.

 

"Dude.." Scott whispers. "We're gonna be okay, everything's gonna turn out just fine. Don't stress too much, it isn't good for you."

 

"Aren't you stressed out?" Stiles whispered back.

 

"Of course I am!" Scott snorted. "But if I focus on the crippling fear of our adventure, I could never focus on the adventure itself, making the fear even more realistic." He smiled.

 

"By all the Gods, when did you get so philosophical?" Stiles chuckled through his tears.

 

"I guess I have my moments." Scott said.

 

A silence.

 

"We just left them there, Scott..." Stiles whispered.

 

Scott actually laughed out loud at this. "You're actually worried about that?"

 

"Yeah I am!" Stiles exclaimed. There were hundreds of them Scott! They can't get out of Beacon Hills. They're trapped."

 

"If you think for one second that our parents are gonna let themselves lose to a bunch of creepy cultists you and I have a very different view of our parents!" Scott laughed. "They'll manage. In fact, I think they're gonna catch up to us and help us get that second book."

 

"Yeah... I guess so." Stiles said. What Scott said made sense. His father always was a tough cookie, and with Melissa's incredible healing skills, they at least had a chance. With that flickering flame of hope, Stiles ignited a warm feeling in his chest, driving away the cold anxiety slowly.

 

"I'm gonna sleep now because I'm dead!" Scott groaned.

 

"Goodnight Stiles."

 

"Goodnight."

 


	8. Chapter 8

"THIEF! GET HER!"

 

Stiles jolted awake as a loud voice roared through the streets. He opened his eyes and was met by the warm light of a sunset, he'd finally slept all night. He looked to his right to see that everyone was awake now. He looked at Scott as if he knew what was happening but he just shrugged.

 

He then decided to see what was going on. He stood up and ruffled some hay off his clothing, god he really needed a shower. He walked towards the entrance of the stable, when he was almost out, he nearly got hit by a person sprinting past him. 

 

The person was swift and quick, dressed in light leather with a wool hood covering the head, judging from the body proportions it was a girl. Behind her were two guards (at least Stiles thought they were. But their armor was anything but impressive) chasing her. 

 

Stiles was about to let it go and get back to sleep when he saw the girl run past a pool of water. With a flick of her arm she sent the water flying backwards to the ground where it immediately froze, causing the guards to lose their footing and fall down. She was a mage!

 

This just became a whole lot more interesting.

 

"It's a mage!" Stiles shouted ecstatic into the stable, earning a groan from a sleep drunk Jackson and confused looks from the others. But Stiles didn't have time to take in their reactions because he immediately started chasing the mysterious mage girl.

 

"Stiles where are you going?!" Lydia shouted after him but Stiles didn't hear it, he was too busy catching up to the mysterious girl. He leaped over the guards trying to get up on the slippery ice and started gaining on her. She quickly looked back for a second and he could catch a glimpse of blonde hair. When she saw he was after her she raised a fist in the air, causing a wall of stone to eject from the ground, about the size of a sheep.

 

Stiles barely managed to jump over the wall and end up on his feet, continuing the chase. She didn't give up though. With a strong jump (and probably a little air control) she managed to jump onto the roof of one of the houses lining the street. 

 

Stiles couldn't possibly make that jump but he continued to follow her, be it on the ground. He could faintly hear footsteps behind him, must be either the guards or his friends trying to catch up to them.

 

"Wait!" He shouted at the girl. If she heard him, she didn't show it. She kept running at the same pace, occasionally making a hazardous jump, forcing Stiles to take a sharp turn into another narrow alley. This went on for minutes.

 

"I'm not gonna hurt you!" Stiles tried again. "I need to ask you something!" Still no reaction. "I could do this all day you know!" He bluffed, he was already almost out of breath. No way he could keep this up for much longer.

 

"So can I!" The girl finally replied, not bothering to look at Stiles, but at least it's progress.

 

"Why are you even running?!" Stiles panted, his lungs were starting to burn.

 

"Stole something!" The girl barked. She didn't even seem fazed by the amount of running and jumping on roofs. Either Stiles was really out of shape or this girl was ridiculously in shape. Probably both.

 

"What did you steal?!" He asked, turning another corner.

 

"None of your business!" She snarked, still not looking at him.

 

"Look, I don't care what you stole!" He tried. "I just need your help with something very important." 

 

"Not interested!" She said before taking a sharp turn on one of the roofs, but this time there was no path Stiles could take to follow her, he was losing her and there was nothing he could do.

 

"Come on Kai'tan I need your help!" He whispered to himself. "Do you have something for this?"

 

No reaction.

 

"If she doesn't teach me magic then I'm gonna get killed, which means you'll die as well."

 

An image of a pitch black room appeared in Stiles' mind. In the distance Stiles could see two small lights appear, like candles being lit. But these weren't candles. These were eyes. 

 

" _ **JUMP"**  _the familiar deep voice shook Stiles. 

 

Stiles obeyed, jumping. At first it seemed like nothing was happening, but when he almost touched the ground again, an unseen force launched him into the sky, landing him on the roof. He felt his body buzz with energy so he immediately continued running. He could see the girl in the distance.

 

The newfound energy really helped, Stiles ran harder and more determined than he had ever run in his entire life. He had to convince this girl to stop somehow, because he would never catch up to her like this. 

 

He reached out his hands and formed an orb of light, shooting it at the girl. He didn't mean to hit her with it. Just show her that he was a mage too. The orb missed her by an inch but she didn't show any signs of stopping.

 

"Look, I'll pay you!" Stiles tried as a last resort. The girl stopped so abruptly that Stiles didn't have time to stop. He crashed right into her and they both fell off the edge of the roof, landing in a pile of groaning and aching limbs.

 

Stiles got pushed to the side and when he looked up he could see the mysterious girl wiping the dust off her clothes.

 

"So, you're gonna pay me?" She asked. "How much."

 

"How much do you want?" Stiles squinted, she was standing right in the light so he couldn't see her directly.

 

"What will I be doing?"

 

"Teach me to become a better mage."

 

"Why do you need training?" She asked. "You did okay back there right?"

 

"It's complicated." Stiles said, not wanting to explain everything right now. "So will you do it?"

 

"Yes." She said. "For two thousand gold coins."

 

Stiles mouth fell open. 

 

"Oh my gods! Do you know how much that is? You could buy a-"

 

"A house. Exactly." The girl nodded.

 

Stiles grumbled for a second, thinking everything over. But in the end he guessed he'd rather lose two thousand gold coins than his heartbeat. So with an aching heart he stood up and shook her hand.

 

"Deal. So does that mean you'll travel with us?"

 

"Sure." She shrugged. "Not like I have a place to stay anyway. So what is the name of my new apprentice?"

 

"Stiles. Stiles Stilinski."

 

At that the girl gave Stiles a weird look. "That is an unusual name. Are you from the Isles?"

 

"Nope." Stiles sighed, having had this conversation before. Everyone thought his name was weird so they just assumed he was born on the Distant Isles. A place known for it's unusual people. "Just very original parents. Anyway, what's your name."

 

"Malia Hale." She smiled.

 

Stiles froze. 

 

"Wait, Malia Hale as in Hale as in Peter Hale?!"

 

"How do you know Peter Hale?" Her smile turned into a confused frown.

 

"Me and my friends are traveling to the Capital right now, we need his help. Are you related?"

 

"He's my father... Sort of."

 

Wow. What a coincidence. Stiles manages to run into the daughter of the person who is supposed to be able to help him. Maybe he was going to make it after all. Maybe his luck turned around.

 

"Four thousand coins." Malia pulled Stiles back from his own mind.

 

"WHAT?!"

 

"If you're gonna make me see that dick of a father, I want more."

 

"Fine!" Stiles said. Gods. Allison was going to hate him so much. "Why do you hate him so much anyway?"

 

"Long story." She winked, purposely using his earlier words.

 

"I like you!" Stiles grinned.

 

"Stiles!" Stiles turned around to see Isaac turning the corner, partially shifted. He was panting as well. So it's not just Stiles who got exhausted from that early morning run. Good.

 

"Hey!" Stiles smiled as Scott and Allison also appeared, looking tired as well. They stared in confusion at Stiles and Malia.

 

"Where are Lydia and Jackson?" Stiles asked, noticing their absence in the group. They probably didn't feel like following the chase first thing in the morning. He wouldn't be surprised if they casually strutted this way. "And how did you even find me?"

 

"Lydia went to write a letter to her dad to say what happened at Beacon Hills. Jackson went with her. And Isaac caught your scent." Scott said, nodding to Isaac who made a show of twitching his nose.

 

"Shapeshifter. Nice." Malia nodded approvingly.

 

"Who's this?" Allison frowned.

 

"This is Malia." Stiles smiled, pushing Malia in front of him.

 

"My new magic tutor AND Peter Hale's daughter."


	9. Chapter 9

"I don't think this is a good idea!" Lydia whispered as the group crouched and sneaked behind one of the thin wooden walls. Lydia had returned from sending her father a letter and now they had to get some horses. Allison was in the town buying (without paying) some food for along the way. The rest had followed Malia to the stables.

 

"Shut up!" Malia countered. "They're gonna hear you!"

 

"Why can't we just kindly ask them to lend us their horses? We could say we're gonna pay for them later? I could give them my father's address for proof." Lydia tried. Over the past few minutes she hadn't been too shy to tell the others how terrible she thought this plan was. It didn't stop them though. All it did was annoy them when Lydia grumbled about a "moral compass" and how the stable master "has to make a living too!".

 

"Like we did yesterday at the Inn?" Isaac replied, shutting Lydia up.

 

"Are you sure we're gonna get away with this?" Scott whispered at Malia.

 

She turned to him. "I've done stuff like this dozens of times. Trust me, I know how to get away with thievery."

 

"That explains the guards chasing you this morning?" Stiles snarked. Scott and Isaac laughed at this but Malia didn't take it to heart.

 

"Did they catch me?" She raised her eyebrows and continued when she got no reaction. "No, so shut up or I'm not helping you, and without my help, you'd never get to the Capital."

 

Stiles liked this girl. He really, really did. But he didn't like the leverage she had over them. She knew they needed her and she was probably gonna use it a lot. Like when she claimed one of the horses for herself. There aren't enough horses in the Willow's Grove stables for all of them so one pair had to share a horse. After Malia's veto, they had decided Scott and Isaac would share. They didn't seem to mind.

 

"Stay here!" Malia whispered, apparently their discussion had ended.

 

"Where are you going?" Stiles hissed. Even though she'd led them to the stables, she still didn't tell them how they were gonna steal the horses. His opinion on her changed as quickly as a Shapeshifter.

 

"When you hear the signal, take the horses and GO." she informed them.

 

"Shouldn't we wait for Allison?" Lydia frowned.

 

"She's gonna be here any second. We have no time to lose. If what Stiles told me is true, you don't have long before those weird cultists get here." Malia replied. She turned around and made her way to one of the buildings next to the stables.

 

"Who the hell does she thinks she is?" Lydia complained. 

 

"She's our ticket to safety at the moment. I don't care who she thinks she is." Stiles scolded. Right at that moment, Allison arrived, a bag hanging over her shoulder. Probably the food she took.

 

"Am I on time?" She asked.

 

"Barely." Lydia replied.

 

"Good!" Allison nodded. "We have to hurry. The cultists are already here." At the sound of the word "cultists" a shiver ran down Stiles' spine as he thought of the burning city. The corpses on the floor.

 

"How do you know?" Scott frowned.

 

"I overheard people asking the Innkeeper about "the boy with the mouse face." I'm pretty sure it's them."

 

"Why would that be the cultists?" Stiles asked confused. "I don't have a-"

 

Jackson snorted and didn't even try to stifle his laugh. Scott looked very guilty and Allison stared at Stiles with a way too blank expression.

 

"Scott.." Stiles turned to his best friend. "I don't have a mouse face do I?"

 

"Maybe a little." Scott grimaced. "BUT IN A GOOD WAY!" He quickly added when he saw how utterly offended his best friend looked. "I personally wouldn't call you that but I can sort of see why others would..."

 

"It's the nose." Allison shrugged apologetically. 

 

"I can't belie-"

 

"FIRE!"

 

The shout cut through the whispered conversation like a knife.

 

"Was that the sign?" Scott asked, suddenly very tense.

 

"It must be." Isaac thought out loud, and he was right. The stablemen quickly run towards the shouting to see what was going on, leaving the horses completely unsupervised. 

 

"NOW!" Stiles hissed as he sprinted towards the stables. He was busy trying to untie the knot that kept the horse tied to the beam but with all the adrenaline coursing through his body, he couldn't keep his hands still enough. That's when Scott came and with a heavy slash of his sword, he cut the rope.

 

"I'll hold Malia's horse!" Stiles informed them while climbing on his horse. Deep inside he knew they didn't trust her yet, so he was scared they'd release the horse without her. He couldn't do that to Malia.

 

"Ready?" He heard Allison ask from a couple of feet away. When all they got in reply was "Yes!" They left the stables. Scott with Isaac on the back. Lydia had her own horse, it was pitch black. Jackson's horse was brown with a couple of spots and Allison's horse looked like a mixture of all. 

 

Stiles was riding his own chestnut colored horse, while also holding the reigns to the somewhat darker brown horse that was designated to Malia.

 

"Where's Malia?" Scott asked as they left the stables behind them and rode down the path on the edge of the town. Stiles smiled at that. Good to know that his best friend also trusted Malia. Going so far as to being worried about wether she'd make it.

 

"She told me that we should just go, she'll catch up to us."

 

"I have to say." Lydia spoke up. "She used a very peaceful diversion. I thought she would knock some people out or something." She actually looked surprised. Stiles was about to reply when a loud explosion shook through everyone. 

 

Stiles' head snapped to his right and he could see a big cloud of thick black smoke rising to the sky. A bright red and orange glow at the bottom. He prepared himself for a barrage of the creepy void orbs shooting at him, but what he got was Malia sprinting at them.

 

"Release the horse!" She shouted from a distance. Stiles didn't need to hear it twice and let go of the reigns, smacking the horse on the back so that it would run faster. Malia punched her fist in the air and a pillar of stone erupted from the ground, launching her into the sky. With a blast of air she adjusted her aim and she managed to land right on top of the horse, cushioning the fall with a last puff of air.

 

"That was amazing." Stiles gaped in awe.

 

"Give it time." Malia smiled. "You'll be doing that too."

 

"Did you do that?" Lydia asked Malia, causing Malia to shift her gaze from Stiles. Stiles winced at the accusing tone in Lydia's voice. He had a feeling these two were probably not gonna get along well, and that would complicate things.

 

"I had to." Malia simply shrugged.

 

"You destroyed someone's property and maybe even injured people. You didn't have to do that." Lydia scoffed. "We already got the horses."

 

"You think they wouldn't catch up to you? You think they wouldn't notice?" Malia raised her eyebrows. "What I did there was give us a head start. They're so into that fire right now, they don't even know the horses are gone. By the time they'd find out, we'd be way too far already. Don't tell me what to do. Because to me, you're nothing but a stuck up bitch who always got what she wanted. You've been criticizing me from the moment you laid eyes on me. But guess what? This is survival. This is doing what's necessary."

 

Jackson blew out a low whistle, earning a deadly glare from Lydia. Stiles was literally gaping at the entire dialogue and the others didn't dare speak. This was the first time in his whole life he'd ever seen Lydia genuinely speechless.

 

The awkward silence was interrupted when suddenly all the sunlight disappeared. What was happening? There hadn't been any clouds today. A deep blue sky was all. 

 

"Guys..." Jackson said. "What the hell is that?"

 

Stiles looked to see what Jackson meant. Isaac was staring at the sky. Stiles followed his gaze and saw a huge black cloud covering up the sun. But it wasn't the smoke from the earlier explosion. If it was really a cloud, why did it move so fast?"

 

"Isn't that just the smoke from the explosion." Scott frowned.

 

"No." Isaac answered, his eyes glowing a bright gold. He partially shifted to improve his eyesight. "It's crows."

 

"Hundreds of crows..."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long omg i had no inspiration whatsoever. Anywayyyyy, there's gore in this, it's gonna get heavy so yeah... enjoy (Derek will come soon, i know this is a Sterek fix but believe me, he will appear and Sterek IS definitely happening, it's just that i have most of the story figured out already and he's not in it yet. But he will be. SOON.

"Why are hundreds of crows flying together? That doesn't seem natural." Scott frowned.

 

"They're carrying letters!" Isaac announced as he squinted his eyes to get a better look, slowing his horse down to concentrate. 

 

"We need to know what's in those letters now." Lydia said.

 

"Why?" Jackson huffed.

 

"Because there's a high chance it involves Stiles." Allison replied, following Lydia's train of thought.

 

"I can easily shoot some of them down?" Malia proposed, letting an orb of fire levitate above her palm. "I could take all of them down at once if I wanted. Get rid of the threat altogether."

 

"Yeah cause a giant pillar of magical fire isn't going to attract any unwanted attention." Stiles scoffed. He was actually surprised by Malia's proposal. Until now she seemed like the calculating smart type, but this was everything but.

 

"I'll shoot one down." Allison spoke, earning a glare and pout from Malia.

 

"Are you sure you can make  shot that far?" Malia tried.

 

Allison snorted and the fellowship all looked at Malia like she was insane. Stiles felt a bit bad for her. She couldn't know how good a shot Allison was.

 

She quickly took her bow from her back and cocked an arrow. She didn't seem to linger on the aiming for long. Probably because there were so many fucking crows. She couldn't possibly miss. With a sharp sound she released the arrow into the sky, and to nobody's surprise, it hit. The unfortunate crow plummeted down to earth. But not anywhere near where the fellowship was.

 

"If that thing lands in this forest there is no way we are ever gonna find it." Lydia warned. Malia nodded and jumped off her horse. She moved her arms in a very intense flowing movement and when she suddenly pulled her arms back with a jerk, a fierce gust was created, blowing the bird towards her.

 

It still wasn't enough though. The bird shot through the roof of the trees and disappeared out of sight. Malia groaned in agitation while Allison grabbed her bow (which she had already returned to her back).

 

"I'm not gonna waste another arrow after this." She raised her eyebrows at Malia, as if this was her fault. Allison cocked her bow again, but before she could release the arrow, a rustling was heard in the bushes. 

 

They all turned to face the sound, and to their surprise a fox appeared, carrying a crow. The crow Allison shot to be specific. The fox calmly walked up to Lydia and dropped the crow at her feet, before swiftly turning around and disappearing again.

 

"Did anybody else just see that random fox?" Isaac, asked.

 

"Yes, that was real." Stiles nodded, although he could understand where Isaac was coming from.

 

Allison lowered her bow and Lydia crouched to untie the paper tied to the crow's talon. She unfolded the carefully folded paper and her eyes scanned it, her face going pale after seconds.

 

"What is it?!" Stiles urged as an icy feeling was settling in his stomach. When Lydia turned the paper around, the feeling spread through every cell in his body.

 

On the paper was a very realistic drawing of him with a caption that said "WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE. BOUNTY: 2.000.000 GOLD COINS"

 

"Two million gold coins?!" Scott practically choked, but Stiles was still reading. Underneath the bounty, was scribbled in small handwriting, to go to the nearest inn and send a crow, so they could retrieve the 'fugitive'.

 

"I bet it's those cultists." Isaac spoke. "Who else would offer that much gold just Stiles?"

 

"Whoever it is that did this." Lydia spoke. "We have to be incredibly careful from now on. Everyone's a threat. We have to get Stiles into a disguise." She said, looking directly at Stiles now. As if he was supposed to change appearance with a snap of his fingers.

 

"Where are we gonna get a disguise?" Stiles asked, a slight sweat starting to break through his skin. He felt even more stressed out than he has in days. The feeling of everyone wanting him caught was nauseating. How the hell was he gonna be comfortable for the rest of his life like this.

 

"We have to do with a cowl for now." Allison nodded. "I have a spare one with me."

 

But before Allison could grab it, an arrow barely missed her by an inch, going right through her hair. Before anybody had time to react, a sickening moist sound was heard and when Stiles turned around, he immediately turned back around to lean away from his horse and empty his stomach.

 

Jackson was still sitting on his horse, but now there was the point of an arrow sticking out of his left eye. He slipped off the horse and fell to the ground lifelessly. The arrow had gone completely through his skull, the feathers sticking out of the back of his head.

 

"JACKSON!!!" Lydia shrieked.

 

Everybody was in shock. Stiles was still heaving and all the others were just frozen still.

 

"We have to go now!"  Isaac was the first to come to his senses. But the crack in his voice betrayed him. Even though Stiles strongly dislikes Jackson, he would have never wished this upon him. That's why he couldn't get himself to flee. He was just staring at Jackson's lifeless corpse. The once so handsome face, now maimed and sickening.

 

"Come on!" Scott shook Stiles awake with a hand on his shoulder. Scott was terribly pale. Stiles could imagine himself being just as pale right now. 

 

Another arrow shot through the air, hitting a nearby tree.

 

"NOW!"

 

They sped away as fast as their horses could manage. Jackson's horse had gone mental and sped off in a different direction.

 

"How did they catch up to us so fast!" Malia shouted, the adrenaline still pumping through everyone's veins.

 

"Don't know!" Stiles spoke past the lump in his throat. "Probably some void magic shit that I don't want to find out." 

 

"Are you alright?" Stiles heard Allison ask Lydia. 

 

The strawberry blonde replied with a slow head shake. She was not alright. Stiles could understand. She has lost the 'love of her life' and her mother in less than 48 hours from each other. He doesn't understand how she could possibly even function right now.

 

Stiles was about to say something when a sharp pain erupted from his shoulder. He turned his head to see an arrow sticking out of it. Fuck. He'd been hit. He could feel the pain spreading through his shoulder, but the worst pain was in his head. It felt like he was burning from the inside. He screamed in agony as the pain became too much and he fell of his horse.

 

When he opened his eyes, all he could see was bright gold. He scrambled to stand up and as soon as he was standing, his entire body relaxed and his mind faded away into a blissful unconsciousness.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Stiles woke up to the sound of birds tjirping, the smooth sound of a flowing river, and a hot midday sun shining in his face. For a short disturbing second he almost thought he had died and gone to heaven. But when he sat up, the dull ache in his left shoulder quickly disarmed that idea. There wouldn't be pain in heaven. Right?

 

"You're awake!" He heard her before he saw her, but within seconds, Allison was leaning over him, smiling. "It's about time, we were starting to worry." She said, before handing him some berries that looked way too red to be edible. 

 

"Where are we?" Stiles frowned after he ate the berries (that turned out to be actually really good) "It's beautiful."  It really was. When he took a better look he could see a clearing, with high grass everywhere, surrounded by trees. A river with crystal clear water was flowing through the field. Scott and Isaac were cleaning themselves in it. At least Isaac was. Scott was too busy watching Isaac wash himself in a way that he probably thought was subtle, but Isaac's smirk told otherwise. 

 

Lydia was sitting at the waterside, her back towards Stiles but she sat completely still. Malia was busy making funny shapes of floating water, seemingly entertaining herself.

 

"I don't know." Allison shrugged. "We just came across this place and we thought we needed a break. We've been on the road for a long time now." She said as she handed Stiles a flask, he was slowly getting his energy back.

 

"Wait," Stiles said once Allison's words reached their destination. "How long have you been traveling? How long have I been out?" The last thing he remembered was Jackson getting killed and then him getting shot. After that, everything was gone.

 

"You've been out for three days." 

 

"THREE DAYS?"

 

"Oh he's awake!" Stiles heard Scott exclaim, before the calm sound of flowing water was interrupted by heavy splashes and footsteps. Immediately Stiles was surrounded by everyone, asking him how he felt and if he was okay. Everyone except Lydia who was still sitting by the water.

 

"We thought you were gonna die!" Malia exclaimed as she rubbed Stiles' head not too gently.

 

"That was so intense dude!" Scott shouted wide eyed. Even Isaac seemed more enthusiastic than Stiles had ever seen him. If only Stiles knew what everybody was so excited about.

 

"I love this whole attention thing more than I'd like to admit." Stiles said, "But I have no idea what you're talking about. I just passed out. What happened?" He asked. This question created a lot of loud answers, and Stiles understood none of it.

 

"One at a time, please!" He winced. Scott apparently decided that should be him, cause he was the first one to speak.

 

"I don't think Kai'tan likes it when you get shot cause you fell of your horse and you went absolutely fucking crazy on the cultists that ambushed us. It was really insane. I'm glad i'm on your side dude. You slaughtered them."

 

Stiles felt a twist in his stomach. He slaughtered people? People with families and friends?

 

"But it wasn't you!" Allison intervened, having noticed the look on Stiles' face. "It was Kai'tan. He just used your body. But you didn't actually look like you though. It was actually pretty scary."

 

"Yeah!" Malia added. "You were you, but there was some sort of gold aura surrounding you. It was scolding! We tried to get close but Scott got his hands burned. The aura actually looked somewhat like a dragon!"

 

"What she means by that..." Isaac explained. "Is that the aura slightly looked like it had wings and claws. The claws were actually real though, you slashed some of them up pretty bad."

 

"And then you just dropped dead." Allison shrugged.

 

"Well, not actually dead!" Scott laughed. "Cause otherwise you wouldn't be here to listen to us!" 

 

Stiles' head was spinning. He had been out for three days after murdering multiple people. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He was totally at a loss for words. Yet he spoke.

 

"How's Lydia?"

 

That seemed to be a harsh slap of reality for everyone. The atmosphere turned cold and grim. They sagged and suddenly didn't look so keen on talking anymore. 

 

"Not so good." Allison said, nodding towards Lydia's small figure.

 

"I think I'll go talk to her." Stiles thought out loud. The rest didn't speak, they just stepped aside so Stiles could get through them. He was surprised at how well his body functioned after having been asleep for multiple days.

 

"Hey." He spoke softly after he sat down next to her, both overlooking the water. He spoke so soft it was almost a whisper. "How are you?"

 

She just shook her head.

 

"Do you want to talk about it?

 

Again she shook her head.

 

"Do you hate me?"

 

Again.

 

"Want to cry?"

 

Lydia bit her lip before nodding and suddenly, she burst into tears and found comfort in Stiles' shoulder. He said nothing, just held her and softly stroked her back. They sat like that for a couple of minutes before Lydia softly started talking.

 

"We always talked about getting married and having children."

 

This didn't surprise Stiles because it was Lydia. Lydia probably had her entire life planned out. It surprised him that Jackson had felt so comfortable around Lydia that he actually saw a future together.

 

"I am so stupid!" Lydia cried. "I already had the names ready for our kids!"

 

"That's not stupid!" Stiles comforted her. "You couldn't have known it would end like this."

 

"It shouldn't have ended like this." She replied.

 

"You're right." He agreed. "It shouldn't.

 

"You just asked me if I hated you." Lydia stated, removing her head from Stiles' shoulder and looking him in the eyes. "And I said no."

 

Stiles nodded, suddenly getting nervous, cause where was this going?

 

"And I don't" She clarified. 

 

Stiles let out the breath he was holding.

 

"I hate Kai'tan. I hate how he fucked everything up."

 

Even though Kai'tan hadn't done it on purpose, Stiles couldn't help but agree with her.

 

"I know." He said. "Me too."


	12. Chapter 12

"Are you sure this is a good idea!"

 

"Nope!"

 

"Are we still gonna do this?"

 

"Yep!"

 

They were in an open field. They had traveled one full day since Stiles had woken up, they were now only days away from the Capital, but they decided it was finally time for some actual magic training, so here they were. Malia controlling an actual floating wall of water and Stiles' hands empty. Malia thought it would be a good idea to just bombard Stiles with ice spikes. See how good he could deflect them.

 

Stiles didn't like the idea.

 

"We'll stop if I hurt you too badly!" She had said, as if it was of any comfort to him. He however, didn't have a choice. The others were tired and were all piled around on the grass trying to get a quick nap. Stiles wasn't exactly tired. He had been asleep for days, he'd rather die than go to sleep now. 

 

Their journey this day had been uneventful, except for that same fox that brought the messenger crow to them. Stiles could have sworn he saw that same fox a couple of times, quickly dashing through the forest around them. But nothing else happened.

 

"STILES!" Malia shouted only seconds before shooting ice at him. Out of reflex he jumped to his right, dodging the spike.

 

"You're not supposed to dodge!" Malia announced. "You have to deflect. Using magic!"

 

"Yeah, I know." Stiles frowned, getting back into position. This time she didn't warn him and immediately send a spike shoot right at his face. but now he was focused, and with a swirl of his arm, a fireball appeared and collided with the spike, exploding with a hiss.

 

"Good." Malia smirked. "Now a bit faster." She wasn't lying. Immediately a barrage of ice started to shoot at Stiles. 

 

He managed to hit the first three spikes with his own blasts of fire, but the rest came too fast. He had to duck and one of them came dangerously close to his neck. That's when he decided he had to take a different approach. He was gonna create a big beam of fire that was gonna melt all the ice and maybe even make Malia off balance.

 

That was his plan. But when he put his hands together to concentrate on the fire. When he felt it, he thrust his arms forward, but all that came out was a pathetic puff of smoke. It was almost fun if it wasn't for the multiple deadly spikes coming his way now.

 

Malia seemed to notice because her smirk turned into a face of fear and she immediately threw her hands down, causing the spikes to crash into the ground just in front of Stiles.

 

She was about to say something but when she opened her mouth, a loud creepy howl was heard all over the field. Stiles looked around to see where the sound was coming from. He noticed that everyone had woken up and was now also very tense.

 

Another howl.

 

This time the location was more clear. Everybody stopped what they were doing and went to see what was going on, Scott got his sword and Allison had her bow ready. Isaac didn't have anything but he could always shift. Lydia was in the back.

 

When they got closer, they could hear the sounds of leaves cracking and an occasional growl. Scott and Stiles looked at each other, both not knowing what to expect. But then when they got through the last shrub, they understood.

 

The same fox that has been following them, was now fighting with a big black wolf. The fox had it's fangs set in the wolf's neck and it was trying to get out, resulting in those creepy howls.

 

"Should we do anything?" Scott asked. "Kill the fox or something? That wolf doesn't look too happy."

 

"NO!" Stiles countered. "That's the fox that helped us, and it's been following us for days, I think if anything, we kill the wolf."

 

"We don't kill the wolf." Isaac spoke suddenly, eyes fixed on the brawl in front of him. "Because it's not a wolf. He smells mostly human. I bet it's a Shapeshifter like me!" He announced, his eyes widening.

 

"Kayla stop it!" A voice sounded from somewhere, and like magic, the fox stopped attacking the wolf and stepped back. Suddenly out of nowhere a girl appeared. She walked up to the fox and spoke to it in a hushed whisper. Then she turned around and walked up to the wolf. She tried to softly put her hands to his neck but when he snapped at her hand she pulled back.

 

"Sorry." Allison spoke, interrupting the silence, "But who are you?"

 

"Oh I'm so sorry!" The girl spoke, her solemn serious expression now turned into an embarrassed smile. "My name is Kira." She smiled. "And this is Kayla!" She pointed to the fox, who looked at Allison. "She's my companion." Kira smiled.

 

"Companion." Scott softly repeated to himself. "Wait! Are you an Elf?" He said, his face beaming with excitement. Scott had once told Stiles about Elves and their tendency to have personal animal companions. Scott didn't like to read, but he was interested in anything Elfish.

 

"Yes!" Kira smiled, and Stiles swore, if he didn't know better, he would've thought that the happiness Scott was radiating now, was actually light magic. Isaac however, didn't seem to like Kira so much. Seen as he was sulking childishly in the back.

 

"But what are you doing here?" Lydia asked. "And why did Kayla help us with the crows? What's it to you?"

 

"I'm here because I know all about Kai'tan. And I want to help you." Kira said. "But I didn't want my mother to find out, so I just sent Kayla out to help you, but now it looked like she got in trouble." She looked at the wolf. "You can change back now, don't get angry at me for helping."

 

And much to Stiles' surprise, the wolf did change back. 

 

HOLY SHIT

 

This guy had to be some sort of siren or whatever. Stiles was looking at a sharp jawline, a stubble, a mix of green and blue eyes, and an incredible body. Okay, maybe he wasn't as straight as he thought.

 

"Who are you and why were you spying on these travelers?" Kira said, dropping the nice smile and immediately looking way older than she looked only seconds ago. Stiles found himself wondering which was the real Kira.

 

"I'm Derek." The man said and to be honest, even his voice caused a bubbly feeling in Stiles' stomach. He must've been staring to hard because he received a harsh elbow in the side from Scott. "Word around town says they're looking for Peter Hale. That made me curious so I followed them, until your rabid fox attacked me." He added with a snarl towards Kayla.

 

"Kayla isn't rabid!" Kira calmly replied. "And she wouldn't have attacked you if you weren't acting all suspicious."

 

"Why do you know Peter Hale anyway?" Malia jumped in.

 

"He's an... acquaintance of mine." Derek said, his beautiful face completely blank. If Peter was of any interest to him, he sure didn't show it.

 

"A good one or a bad one?" Malia inquired. 

 

"Neutral."

 

"Wait!" Stiles said. He turned to Kira. "You said you wanted to help us right?"

 

Kira nodded.

 

"We were practically forced to leave our hometown, so we're really low on food and equipment, can you help us with that?"

 

"Sure!" Kira nodded and smiled. "Our city isn't far from here, if you're willing to make a bit of a detour?" She turned to Derek. "You can also come with us? We'll treat your injuries, then you're free to do as you wish."

 

"I don't need to be healed." Derek countered. "It'll heal."

 

"No, Kayla bit on wolfsbane before she attacked you, it's in your bloodstream now." Kira replied. "You better come with us."

 

Stiles laughed at that, earning a devastating glare from the shirtless Shapeshifter.

 

"It's about three hours from here." Kira announced. "Get your bags and horses, we're going to Alkanir!"

 

Scott grabbed Stiles, his face almost bursting open because he was smiling so hard.

 

"Did you hear that man?! We're gonna go to Alkanir. We're gonna visit one of the most famous Elvish cities in this world!"

 

"Yeah dude!" Stiles said, not keeping his eyes off Derek who was still shirtless and very very annoyed to have to come along. "That's awesome."

 

"By the way, don't tell my mother what quest you're on. She won't like it. We'll just  say you were travelers left starving because of some thieves. I'll do the talking, alright?"

 

A chorus of "yeah" and some grunts were heard.

 

"Good. Let's get to Alkanir!"

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Stiles asked when the woods kept getting thicker and darker. It seemed like they were getting further away from civilization instead of closer. They'd been walking for hours.

 

"Trust me, I know where my home is." Kira huffed, this wasn't the first time Stiles had asked. Kira was a friendly and kind girl, so she wouldn't dare to speak bad against Stiles, but it was pretty clear that she was annoyed.

 

"Do you think she knows a lot of the famous elves?" Stiles heard Scott whisper to Isaac.

 

"I don't know." Isaac said, obviously not happy with Scott's interest in Kira. Probably not even noticing that Scott's admiration was purely meant for the elf society, not in Kira as a person. Maybe Stiles had to be a matchmaker if those two don't act on their feelings.

 

"See that hawk?" Kira asked, pointing to one of the trees, where all the way in the back, a big hawk was standing, eyeing them carefully. "That's one of the scouts, we're getting close."

 

"Good, cause I don't think Derek is gonna last much longer." Allison softly spoke.

 

Stiles turned around to see what she meant and she was right. Derek was shuffling behind them, sweaty and shaking. Isaac had given him a shirt to wear since he was closest to his size, but still Derek was considerably paler than before.

 

"I'm fine!" He grunted. Stiles rolled his eyes at how damn stubborn this guy was.

 

"I'm starving!" Malia groaned. "Can we take a break and just eat something? Cause I don't think I'm gonna last any longer." She whined.

 

"We're almost there. Then you can have dinner at my house! My father is famous in our city for his meals. Believe me, it'll be worth the waiting!" She smiled genuinely. Stiles already felt like he had known Kira for ever.

 

"I can't believe we're going to eat dinner made by a famous elvish cook!" Scott nudged Isaac.

 

"Actually..." Kira started with an apologetic grimace. "My dad is human, sorry! He's still a good cook though."

 

"So does that make you half human too?" Lydia asked after Scott looked down in disappointment.

 

"Yes, I'm a half blood."

 

"That's pretty cool!" Malia shrugged, and wen she did, her shirt moved a little and Stiles could see a deep purple crystal hanging on a string around her neck. How did he not notice that before?

 

"Is that a necklace?" He asked, nodding towards the crystal.

 

"What? Oh this?" Malia said, looking down as if she had forgotten she was wearing it. "Yeah, my eh... grandmother gave it to me before she passed away. I never take it off." She shrugged it off.

 

"It's gorgeous!" Lydia exclaimed, moving in to get a closer look. "What kind of stone is this? Do you think I can buy it somewhere?"

 

"I don't know." Malia replied, "She didn't say. Derek how are you doing back there?" She said, changing the subject.

 

"Peachy." Derek growled. Not looking up.

 

"Good to know the poison doesn't disable sarcasm." Stiles spoke, earning a laugh from Scott and a subtle chuckle for Isaac. Isaac wasn't so keen on rubbing Derek the wrong way. Except for his mother, Derek was the only other Shapeshifter Isaac had ever met.

 

"We're here!" Kira announced. Right as she said it, a big wooden arch emerged from the misty forest. It resembled two trees that curved so that they met each other about thirty feet high.

 

"It's beautiful..." Scott breathed, and Stiles had to agree. The arch was in the middle of a row of trees, all connected by man made bridges at the top. On the wooden bridges were Elves patrolling. Bows on their backs. Some of them were casually talking, others were watching the fellowship arrive. Every bridge at a ring of wood around the trees where Elves were also standing.

 

"We try our best not to harm nature in any way. Instead we coexist." Kira explained. "I warn you, if you show any form of hostility towards a living thing around here, you'll get in trouble."

 

Kayla ran ahead, disappearing through the arch.

 

When the fellowship passed through, Stiles' mouth fell open when he looked around. There were so many different kinds of trees and animals weren't as shy as they were around Beacon Hills. A deer passed by Kira and let her pet it. A squirrel crossed Stiles' path, nearly making him fall.

 

"I don't see any houses?" Scott said, the first thing he said since he saw the arch. The beauty of it all was just really overwhelming to him.

 

"We live in the trees!" Kira smiled and Stiles frowned at that because how the fuck do you live in trees? Do they cut a hole in the thing and then climb in it to build a nest?

 

When he voiced this thought Kira laughed.

 

"No! The mage guild casts spells on the trees so they can partially direct their growth. Look, my house is the first one, over there." She pointed and indeed. A giant tree, probably a hundred feet high.

 

Around the base of a tree, it looked like another tree (but thinner) curled around it, spiraling upwards until about halfway in the tree, where the base was suddenly way bigger and had holes in it.

 

"Holy shit." Stiles breathed while the others voiced their awe in much nicer words. That's when Kayla emerged from the biggest hole (that's probably meant as the door) and bolted down the spiraling tree used as the stairs.

 

"After all this is over.." Scott whispered. "I'm probably gonna live here."

 

Stiles laughed at that. He could already imagine Scott trying to live among the graceful elves. Coming home drunk and falling down the trees. No way in hell the elves would let him do that.

 

"My mother knows we're here." Kira said after she had crouched and had some sort of mental conversation with Kayla. "So we can go up now."

 

They followed her up the tree. Stiles staying desperately far from the edge. He wouldn't fall down right now. He couldn't imagine Kira just carelessly running up and down this death trap.

 

When they entered the actual house, it wasn't at all how Stiles had expected it to be. The wood inside was polished so it all looked smooth and less primitive. Sunlight was beaming through the windows, making everything light and happy looking.

 

"Kira!" An older woman exclaimed. She definitely looked like Kira, but she was older. Even her demeanor looked like she was way older. At first glance, all Stiles could think of to describe is was 'wise'.

 

"Mother." Kira nodded, instantly turning back into her serious mood, the way she was when they had first encountered her. "I found these travelers lost in the woods. They're on their way to the Capital so I thought we could help them with food and equipment.

 

"Who's he?" Kira's mother asked, nodding towards Derek who looked like he was passed out.

 

"Oh gods I almost forgot about him!" Kira realized out loud. "Mom, this is Derek and he got in a fight with Kayla and now there's wolfsbane in his system, can we send him to a healer please?"

 

Kira's mother looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "I think Alyssandra is home right now, you can take him there. Meanwhile I'll make sure our travelers are well fed." She said, smiling towards the group.

 

"Okay." Kira nodded before guiding Derek outside. But not before giving Stiles a look that meant 'don't say anything'.

 

"Why don't you sit down." Kira's mother smiled. "My husband is already making dinner but it won't be done for a while, so that gives us a little time to chat. It's not often you see three different kinds of supernatural beings in one group."

 

They all nodded and sat down. But then the words sank in and Stiles frowned. He was about to comment something but Allison was ahead of him as per usual.

 

"Wait, three kinds? We only have two."

 

"No." Kira's mother spoke, "I can clearly see two Mages, one Shapeshifter, and a Banshee." She said, looking directly at Lydia, who's eyes widened at the words. 

 

"I'm not a Banshee!" She spoke. I'm just a normal girl. Have been for all my life. I don't even know what a Banshee is." She said and Stiles felt the same. He'd never heard of anything called a Banshee before.

 

"It's extremely rare. Only female humans can be Banshees." Kira's mother explained. "And even then it's a one in a million chance. It usually passes from mother to daughter after the mother's death. I assume your mother died. How long ago?" She asked, taking a purely formal approach, not at all noticing how Lydia drew in a sharp breath and her eyes started to water at the mention of her mother.

 

"A few days ago...." She whispered.

 

"I see. Did you ever feel like she kept secrets from you? Like there was a part of her you didn't know?" 

 

"Excuse me!" Allison scoffed. "But can we not do this now? Don't you see she doesn't want to talk about it right now?"

 

"I'm sorry." Kira's mother apologized. "I've always been bad at picking up human emotions. They're so easily triggered. I'll get you some tea." She said and stood up and left the room.

 

"I don't know if I like her or not." Isaac spoke, successfully capturing all the thoughts in the room into one sentence. Sure she seemed nice, but also ruthless in a way that made Stiles scared to ever cross her.

 

They sat in silence for a while before Kira's mother (who's name they still haven't learned) returned with tea for everyone.

 

"So what are young travelers doing so far into the woods without equipment?" She asked after she had poured everyone their drink and sat down again, gently placing a hand on Lydia's shoulder in the process.

 

"Our home town burned down." Scott spoke.

 

"I'm sorry to hear that!" The woman frowned. "What town was it? If you don't mind me asking."

 

"Beacon Hills." Stiles softly spoke, he figured they could tell her this much. They only had to leave the Kai'tan stuff out of it. "A group of bandits just burned the whole place down." He lied.

 

"Beacon Hills." She repeated to herself. "I've never heard of it." 

 

"You're kidding me right?" Lydia said. She seemed to have regained her posture. "It was a pretty well thriving society and nobody knows it? We were at Willow's Grove earlier and they didn't know it either."

 

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you." She said. "But it must have been pretty special to house Banshees, Mages and Shapeshifters all at the same time. I haven't seen a Banshee in centuries. The other two are much more common."

 

There she goes with the Banshees again.

 

"Excuse me, but could you tell us what a Banshee is?" Stiles asked, having gotten curious.

 

"Banshees are very internal. Their abilities all have to do with the mind. I've heard of extremely powerful Banshees taking control of multiple people at the same time. But mostly it consists of being able to communicate with others through their mind. They're like psychics. They can feel things others can't."

 

"That sounds intense." Scott frowned.

 

"It is." Kira's mother nodded. "Especially if they don't have control over it. Some Banshees go mad. I pray to the Gods that you're not one of them." She said, looking at Lydia.

 

At that moment, Kira and a very tall graceful woman with sleek blonde hair entered. 

 

"Mother, I brought Alyssandra back with me. When I told her about the magic block, she got intrigued and wanted to come along. Derek is asleep and the Wolfsbane is out of his body.

 

"Good." Her mother nodded. "Indeed, I also noticed the block. You're really growing up Kira." She smiled. Kira smiled and nodded at the compliment.

 

"What block?" Malia frowned, taking a sip from her tea. 

 

They ignored her, but the woman named Alyssandra pointed towards Stiles.

 

"You, what is your name?" 

 

Stiles suddenly got very nervous. 

 

"Stiles."

 

"Full name."

 

"Stiles Stilinski!" He spoke, this time slightly annoyed at the way he was spoken to.

 

"Noshiko, It's him!" Alyssandra spoke to Kira's mother, who turned out to be named Noshiko. "It's Claudia Stilinski's son!"

 

"You don't look like her." Noshiko frowned as she got a closer look at Stiles. "But I guess there aren't many people called Stilinski."

 

"I'm sorry, but what's going on?" Stiles asked slightly angry. He didn't have a clue and they didn't seem to want to tell him.

 

"Years ago, when you were a baby, your mother came to the elves. She begged us to block your magical talents because she didn't want a dangerous life for you. We wouldn't do it. Taking someone's magic away goes against many of our principles. We did however, agree to restrain it. Leaving you with a little magic left, but never your full potential. This way you could still benefit from your powers, but they wouldn't get you into trouble."

 

"Holy shit!" Stiles breathed.

 

"Dude!" Scott nudged him. "That explains why you're so shit at magic all the time!" He said.

 

"I guess." Stiles frowned. "But what if I absolutely need my magic now? More than ever? Could you give it back to me? Can you remove the blocking?" He asked, feeling like this could change his whole life.

 

"We can do that." Alyssandra nodded. "But it's not what Claudia wanted, and we honor our agreements."

 

"But I need it!" Stiles said, raising his voice.

 

"Claudia thought it would be best for you to never get your powers. What do you need them for anyway?" Noshiko spoke, frowning. "You're just a traveler, not to mention you have a Shapeshifter and another mage in your group."

 

"Claudia is dead!" Stiles snapped, silencing the entire room. "My mother is dead so she has no idea what kind of shit we are going through right now. She might have wanted what's best for me, but right now, magic is what's best for me." His eyes were starting to water now and he hated being this vulnerable in front of others. "So even though I respect your loyalty towards my mother. I don't give a shit about your stupid agreement and I demand that you give me what is rightfully mine."

 

It was silent for a moment. Stiles was breathing heavily and Scott placed his hand on Stiles' shoulder in support.

 

"Fine." Noshiko sighed. "We'll remove the block."

 

"We'll give you your magic."

 

 

 

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super short chapter but next chapter will go further into Stiles' new magic and they will travel again :)

Stiles was standing in the middle of a circle. The circle consisted of Elvish mages. Beads of sweat were trickling down his forehead in anticipation. Sure, he'd been eager to get his magic, but now that it was about to happen, the thought of it was terrifying. What if this changes his whole life?

 

"Are you ready?" Alyssandra asked, she was in the circle as well, directly in front of Stiles. He didn't know if she had done that on purpose or if the Elves just had a very tight magic choreography. 

 

"Yes!" Stiles replied, his voice slightly cracking. When all the Elves raised their hands simultaneously he actually got scared. "Wait, is this gonna hurt?" He found himself asking. Behind the circle he saw Scott giving him a thumbs up and Lydia rolling her eyes. Everyone is in a pretty good mood since they got an amazing dinner made my Kira's father. Isaac was still chewing on some leaves.

 

"I don't know." Alyssandra shrugged, keeping her hands steadily in the air. "We've never done this before."

 

"YOU'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE?"

 

"Stiles, calm down!" Stiles heard Allison call. "Do they look like they'd mess this up?" 

 

Stiles looked around the circle and decided that no, they didn't. Every single person had a look of determination on their face. Not a single sign of doubt or hesitation in the entire group.

 

He took a deep breath and calmed down.

 

"Okay. Do it." He spoke.

 

Alyssandra nodded, and seconds later a bright light started to radiate off her hands. The other Elves soon followed until all the lights connected with each other and Stiles was surrounded by a dome of beaming light.

 

Just as Stiles was about to ask when it was gonna happen, he could feel his feet lose touch with the ground as he lifted off the ground and was floating in the middle of the dome. His whole body tensed involuntarily and he didn't know what he was doing when he threw his head back in his neck, looking upward.

 

The bright light of the dome was growing brighter with each passing second. It got so bad that Stiles for a moment thought he would go permanently blind after this. Then suddenly it felt like something was working it's way up through Stiles' throat. If he hadn't been suspended in mid air, he would've dropped to his knees and heaved. It felt like he was gonna be sick.

 

When he opened his mouth, it wasn't vomit that came out though. It was a very dull grey wisp. It stood out against the blinding light by being so inexplicably dull. The wisp ascended and soared upwards until it broke through the top of the shining dome. Immediately the light intensified even more if that was possible and right now. Stiles was drowning.

 

He was thrashing around in mid air trying to be able to breathe but it didn't work. It felt like he was drowning without water. Every time he opened his mouth his body filled with some sort of weird energy. He was being crushed from every single side. Every inch of his body felt sore.

 

It could have been a hallucination, but Stiles could swear he saw two burning eyes staring at him, but as soon as blinked the eyes were gone and the pain was back again at full force. Then the dome just vanished and Stiles dropped to the ground, but the horrible feeling of dying didn't subside.

 

He was on the ground squirming and thrashing around, his face had started to become red as he struggled to breath. He was half aware of the blasts of fire that were shooting out of his hands every now and then, and the sound of rocks crumbling.

 

 **"FINALLY!"** Kai'tan's voice sounded through his body. 

 

Then everything stopped. Stiles wasn't dying anymore and his limbs fell to the ground. He was panting and sweating and honestly just very tired, but he had survived. He could take a little pride in that right?

 

"Are you alright?" Scott said, who had rushed to his best friend's side. "That looked pretty intense."

 

"I'm tired." Stiles said, not even bothering trying to move. "But I think it worked."

 

"They look content." Scott noted, looking back over his shoulder to Alyssandra who was talking with some of the other mages, they looked quite happy with the results. "So you're a big bad mage now aren't you?" Scott laughed.

 

"Gods I hope so." Stiles groaned. His body felt like he had been to bootcamp for years straight. Scott gave him a hand and he reluctantly accepted it and stood up. Scott supported Stiles as they walked towards Alyssandra, who eyed them calmly.

 

"How are you feeling Stiles?" Alyssandra asked, a polite smile dressing her face.

 

"I've been better." Stiles snorts. "But I think it worked. Was that grey thing the block?"

 

"It seems so." Alyssandra nodded with her eyebrows raised. "Now I take it you'd like to rest?"

 

"Holy shit yes!" Stiles breathed. Ecstatic that he didn't have to ask for it.

 

"You can sleep in the infirmary, Kira can take you there. Your friend is also residing in there. Your other friends will be allowed to sleep in Noshiko's house. I suggest you hurry, the sun is setting." 

 

Stiles nodded gratefully before realizing that by 'friend' she meant Derek. Stiles didn't really consider Derek as a friend. More of an amazingly attractive random guy who he spoke 5 sentences to.

 

After he'd thanked Noshiko for the lovely dinner and Kira for her help getting here, Stiles weakly wiggled his eyebrows as he learnt that due to lack of beds, Scott and Isaac were sharing one. Then he was off to his own bed.

 

Thankfully Scott agreed to take Stiles up there cause he wouldn't have been able to make it that far without falling asleep halfway up the tree. The infirmary from outside looked practically the same as Kira's house. One big tree with another smaller one spiraling around it. It was about five minutes from Kira's house so Scott didn't have to go far for his own bed.

 

When Stiles entered, his breath hitched in his throat as he noticed Derek lying in one of the beds. He was above the covers and was again, very much shirtless. His defined abs moving up and down with each slow breath.

 

"Goodnight." Scott smirked and this time he was the one wiggling his eyebrows. Stiles hit him in the shoulder with all the strength he could muster (which wasn't much) Then he thanked Scott for helping him get here. 'but also fuck off cause I'm tired and I wanna sleep'. Scott laughed at that and left.

 

Stiles let himself fall down on the bed next to Derek (not in purpose he swears) and he didn't even have time to undress or crawl under the covers before he lets himself fall into a peaceful deep sleep 

 


	15. Chapter 15

Stiles woke up feeling better than he'd ever felt in his entire life. His breaths came easier. The world smelled better. It seemed like whatever the Elves did yesterday, didn't just affect his magic.

 

A young girl with bright red hair brought him breakfast in bed, saying it were Alyssandra's orders. She smiled as Stiles devoured the entire plate in less than a minute and she smiled again when he whined that he still wasn't full.

 

After Stiles had politely asked for a second plate (which he got) he finished that one as well. Then he dressed himself and noticed that Derek wasn't in his bed anymore. Must have woken up pretty early, since the sun was just rising when Stiles woke up.

 

He walk out of the infirmary to see that a sunrise in the middle of an Elvish city in the woods was about the most beautiful thing he'd ever witnessed. The giant ball of fire in the sky also reminded him of the magic he was now supposed to be able to use.

 

He held out his right hand and put all his focus into it, imagining a small flame above his palm. When a flame immediately appeared without problems, his jaw dropped. He'd never been able to get this done this easily. 

 

Now to try air.

 

Stiles expected to push a little gust of wind out of his fist. What he didn't expect, was to be fucking launched forward away from the save edge of the tree. As he was flying through the air, he thought about what he might have done wrong. He didn't have long to think though, because within a second he hit the crunchy ground filled with leaves and plants.

 

"I take it you're magic is back?" 

 

Stiles turned his head (ignoring the cracking sounds his neck made) to face Isaac who was standing there, leaning against one of the trees. Smirking while chewing on an apple he was casually holding.

 

"You're up early." Stiles stated as he pushed himself up. Not closing the distance between him and Isaac, since Isaac wasn't planning to either.

 

"I'm used to it." Isaac shrugged. "My dad used to wake me up early to help him with work. I can't really sleep in anymore."

 

"That must suck." Stiles winced. "Hey have you seen Malia?" He could definitely go for some magic training right now. He needs to be able to control himself. He wouldn't want a repeat of this morning's smack down."

 

"Yeah." Isaac nodded. "She's still sleeping. Mumbled something about 'not waking her up before noon or she'll cut your throat' or something like that."

 

Oh. That kind of sets Stiles' plans back a bit. 

 

"So is Scott still sleeping?" Maybe his best friend is willing to keep him company while he discovers his new ability.

 

Isaac blushes at this and immediately becomes less nonchalant in his speech. "Yes... He uhm.. He didn't sleep until pretty late so I uhm... I think he wants to sleep in for a bit as well..." He stammered, his face beet red.

 

Stiles smirked. "Why did he sleep that late? It was still pretty early when he took me to bed." He asked, an overly innocent smile playing on his lips.

 

"He wanted to work out." Isaac said, his face now carefully controlled. "So we worked out."

 

"What kind of work out?" Stiles wiggled his eyebrows.

 

"You are disgusting!" Isaac shook his head and turned around, walking away.

 

"We're still gonna talk about this!" Stiles shouted after him.

 

So Stiles went out on his own, looking for a nice spot where he wouldn't bother anyone. He eventually found one. A crystal clear pond where he could literally see the fish swimming circles. He raised his arms and an orb of water floated upwards. As he rotated his hands as if he was holding a ball, the orb of water stopped moving and within seconds the surface was completely smooth. Faster than Stiles had ever managed.

 

That is until a stone came out of nowhere and smashed through the orb, causing the water to fall down into the pond and splash all over Stiles. Stiles cursed as the cold water sent shivers up his spine, but then he turned around to see where the stone came from and he saw Derek.

 

"Why the fuck did you do that?" He asked, very annoyed. "It was a perfect sphere. Do you know how long I've practiced to do that?"

 

"I don't like perfect things." Derek simply shrugged, without adding any further explanation. 

 

"Why not?" Stiles asked genuinely curious now.

 

"I'm not sharing my thoughts with strangers." Derek frowned.

 

"Yet you have no problem being a disruptive influence." Stiles scoffed. 

 

"Guess I'm just a dick." Derek shrugged before turning around to walk away.

 

"Yeah!" Stiles shouted after him. "I figured!"

 

If Derek heard him, he sure didn't show it. Just kept walking.

 

This bothered Stiles so much for some reason, that he had to clench his fists to stop himself from going after him. When he looked down he saw his fists were on fire. That was a new one. He'd never used magic without even thinking about it.

 

Stiles then decided to try something he hadn't tried in years. He walked into the pond, ignoring the ice cold water. He walked to the middle and once he was there he pushed his hands up. The ground under him started to move up. After a few seconds, a tiny circular island of grass was formed in the middle of the pond. Stiles sat down in lotus position and closed his eyes.

 

Many years ago, Stiles had found Melissa McCall this way in Scott's backyard. When he asked her what she was doing she had told him she was meditating. She explained to him how it helped her spirit connect to her body, thus improving her magical abilities. Then she laughed and said it could also be very relaxing when two certain boys were causing a lot of trouble.

 

He'd tried it with her once but he got tired of sitting still and never really tried to do it again. But maybe now, with newfound powers, and in an Elven city. Who knows. With a few deep breaths everything around him seemed to calm down.

 

Sounds of the forest animals were still there, but somehow sounded more peaceful. With every breath Stiles took, it felt as if his body was storing up more energy. As if his lungs were getting more and more oxygen in them. He felt hyper aware. 

 

Every single aspect of life was flowing through his veins. He could feel a fire inside of his veins, a solid core in his chest, a twisting whirlwind in his insides and an ocean in his brain, and light. Light through his whole body. For the first time in his life, Stiles understood his powers.

 

 _ **"GOOD!"**_ Kai'tan's voice suddenly sounded in Stiles' mind, nearly jolting him out of his concentration.

 

"What's good?" Stiles thought back, immediately wincing at how rude he sounded. He was talking to an ancient dragon for Gods' sake.

 

 _ **"YOU'RE FINALLY GETTING USEFUL."**_ The dragon replied

 

"I wasn't useful before?"

 

_**"NO."** _

 

Stiles tried not to be offended by this stone cold rejection."Excuse me, but we're still alive right? So I'm not completely useless. And why can we suddenly speak?" He asked. Afraid that Kai'tan had been able to read his mind all the time.

 

 _ **"Because you're focusing now"**_ replied Kai'tan, who for the first time, spoke at a normal volume instead of a fucking hurricane in Stiles' mind. That probably also had to do with it.

 

"I was focusing before!" Stiles countered.

 

_**"No you weren't."** _

 

"I'm not gonna argue with you since we both share my body so let's just agree to disagree."

 

 _ **"Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?"**_ The dragon now spoke, his voice full of arrogance and pride.

 

"I'm Stiles Stilinski. The boy who's body you're in so there's not much you can do about that."

 

_**"Stilinski? That sounds vaguely familiar."** _

 

"Does it?" Stiles frowned confused. He'd never heard of anyone knowing the name 'Stilinski' from somewhere. Then again, he had also never had a conversation with an ancient dragon spirit currently residing in his body. There's a first for anything.

 

_**"Yes... Claudia Stilinski... Are you one of her?"** _

 

"I'm her only.." Stiles muttered.

 

_**"I see... If that is true I no longer wish to speak to you. I haven't had good experience with the Stilinskis and I don't think I ever will. You're allowed to address me when you have found a way to release me from your body."** _

 

Stiles' mind was spinning. What in the void just happened? Why did Kai'tan suddenly become so hostile? Was it something his mother did? Stiles tried to reach out to Kai'tan several times more, but all he got was a cold unpleasant feeling so he stopped trying.

 

He was about to practice his fire magic when Scott came running out of the forest, a wild panicked look on his face. 

 

"Stiles!" He panted. "It's Lydia! I don't know what the fuck is happening but it looks terrifying!" He breathed.

 

"What?!" Stiles jumped off his little island, not even aware that he was using air magic to jump further and land softer. "Where is she?" 

 

"She's in Kira's house! Kira doesn't know what's happening and we don't know where Noshiko is. You have to come!" He shouted before turning around and running away. Stiles immediately followed him.

 

"Why do you need me?" Stiles shouted while running. Scott didn't even look back when he answered.

 

"I don't know dude. It's just that whenever shit goes down lately, you're involved one way or another. I figured you had something to do with this as well." 

 

Scott was right, and Stiles hated it. Every time something bad happened to one of them, it had been because of Stiles or because of something he had done and Stiles was tired. Tired of feeling guilty about that all the time, and yet the feeling didn't stop.

 

When they arrived at Kira's house, they quickly climbed the tree and ran inside. Lydia was on the ground, thrashing and shaking as if she was having a seizure. Allison was holding her head up in one hand and her hand in the other. Isaac was watching with a look of helpless bewilderment.

 

"She's still like this?" Scott asked. A stupid question really, but Stiles understood.

 

"Yeah, she hasn't stopped." Allison spoke, not taking her eyes off Lydia.

 

"Is there something we can do?" Stiles asked. The feeling of helplessness weighing down on him like a ton of bricks.

 

"Make sure she doesn't choke on her tongue." Allison spoke dryly.

 

Then all of the sudden Lydia froze completely. Her eyes glazed over before turning completely white. A shining white that seemed to pierce through Stiles' very core. Then she spoke.

 

"Stiles, this is your father. Don't ask me how, but some of us made it. I'm in an inn somewhere. Melissa is next to me." 

 

Stiles heart jumped in his chest out of pure relief. He could hear Scott feeling the same way next to him.

 

"I've searched for a Banshee but they're very rare. That's why it took me so long. Right now she's sending this message through to Lydia, who I assume got her mother's powers. But that's for later. We think it's best for the safety of us all that we don't meet up anytime soon. We can keep contact through Banshees though. Your face is on wanted posters all around town. There's bounty hunters from everywhere coming for you. I hope you stay safe. There's rumors you were seen with an Elven Fox so if you're near the Elves, please be careful. Chances are they might look for you there. I have to go now. This Banshee is charging by the second and I don't have a lot of gold with me. Goodbye son. I love you."

 

Lydia then closed her eyes and her breathing slowed down, indicating that she fell asleep. Stiles felt tears prickle behind his eyes at his father's words. But it didn't matter. He was safe. His father was alive, and so was Scott's mother.

 

Allison was the first to break the silence.

 

"We have to go." 


	16. Chapter 16

"How are you feeling?" Stiles asked Lydia as he supported her. The group was currently rushing down the tree, any sense of security wiped away by the frightening message Lydia brought.

 

"Like I'm gonna throw up." Lydia softly replied. She was pale and a layer of cold sweat made her skin shine. He could imagine. From what he'd seen, she'd just gone through something not that nice.

 

"Do you want some water?" She nodded.

 

"Malia?" Stiles asked when they reached the base of the tree. "Is there any water around?" He didn't really trust on his own skills now that he was all shaken up. Malia seemed to understand what he wanted and closed her eyes. She raised her arms above her head and started moving them in a circular motion. From three different locations, small streams of water floated towards her until she had it all gathered.

 

Allison took out a flask and Malia sent the water into the flask. She then handed it to Stiles who handed it to Lydia. She gratefully took it and downed the entire thing in one go.

 

"Where are we going exactly?" Scott asked. A question that was on Stiles' mind as well.

 

"To the Capital!" Allison replied. "Like we originally planned. Shit, I was stupid enough to think we'd be safe her for a while." 

 

"We were safe here." Scott frowned.

 

"No, we're sitting ducks." Isaac replied, obviously agreeing with Allison. "Basically all we did here was endanger the Elves and wait for those Cultists and bounty hunters to come here."

 

"So we'll go." Malia nodded. "As fast as we can."

 

"But first we have to thank Noshiko." Stiles stated. "She's been so kind to have us and thanks to her I am more powerful than ever."

 

"I'll send Kayla!" Kira offered. "Tell my mother to meet us at the stables with supplies."

 

"Wait." Malia barked, stopping in her tracks. "Who's  _us_?"

 

"I'm coming with you." Kira replied, as if it were the only logical explanation.

 

"Why?" Malia asked, stepping closer to Kira. "We're trying to avoid attention. Stealth is key. The less people we have in our group the more chance we have of surviving whatever this thing is we're trying to do."

 

"Malia shut up." Allison snarked. "You're only here because Stiles needs you. If Kira is willing to come with us, knowing what's at stake, I'm happy to have her company." She said, smiling at Kira. Scott nodded feverishly and Isaac shrugged. Malia then looked at Stiles for support.

 

"Dude, she's an Elf with a magical connection to the forest and animals and she has a katana!" Stiles pointed at the sword on Kira's back, his eyes wide. "I'd let her do anything as long as she's on my side."

 

Kira blushed but then turned to Malia with a smirk. "That's decided then. I'm coming along." She then bent over and whispered something in Kayla's ear, who then quickly dashed off.

 

Malia rolled her eyes, but when everybody started moving again she didn't protest.

 

When they made their way to the stables, Stiles couldn't help but think of Derek. What was he gonna do? If they left now, would Derek stay behind? He was about to voice his concern when they made it to the stables. Their horses were still there.

 

They didn't even have to wait five minutes until Kayla returned, Noshiko following suit. With her some other Elves Stiles had never met before. They were carrying backpacks with them. It was as if Noshiko expected this turn of events.

 

"Mother." Kira said as soon as her mother was within hearing distance. "I'm so sorry about this. But they aren't just regular travelers, and we have to leave now. I'm going with them bu-"

 

"I know." Noshiko nodded solemnly. "I believe I can't stop you." A fond smile played at her lips. "I really don't like you meddling in such dangerous adventures, but you know what you're getting into." She stepped forward to hug her daughter. Then she turned to the rest of the group.

 

"Even though my people don't like venturing into other's people affaires... Know that I am at your side, and when your situation seems darkest, you can always call on me for a light to guide you."

 

"And for that we're grateful." Lydia bowed, knowing the proper Elvish social rules. the others followed, also bowing to Noshiko and the other elves.

 

The Elves handed them their backpacks and the group mounted their horses.

 

"Wait, how did you know we weren't travelers?" Isaac said after they were all ready to go, Kira on her own white horse.

 

"We went into Stiles' soul to regain his magic. We would've been blind not to see Kai'tan there." Noshiko explained. Isaac nodded.

 

"How long do I have?" Stiles blurted out. He figured they knew what he meant. How long did he have to fix everything until Kai'tan completely took over and he wouldn't be Stiles anymore.

 

"Kai'tan is very powerful. He was when he roamed this earth and he is now that he's a ghost." Noshiko spoke, her face blank. "But your spirit is strong Stiles Stilinski. You'll hold out longer than others would. You probably have-"

 

Right then, it sounded like all of the birds in the entire forest started screeching. Stiles looked around in confusion, frustrated by how sudden his conversation was cut off. But then he noticed Kira and Noshiko looking afraid, not confused.

 

"What is happening?" 

 

"You have to go!" Noshiko ordered.

 

"But-"

 

"There 's no time!" She exclaimed. "Go, NOW!" She then slapped Kira's horse's rear and it started running, the others quickly following. Not giving any of them time to protest or even say anything.

 

"What's happening?" Lydia asked Kira, who hadn't said a word.

 

"The city is under attack." Kira spoke, staring ahead of her. Not looking anyone in the eye. "Probably the cultists you spoke of."

 

"We have to do something!" Scott said before Stiles could.

 

"What can we do?" Isaac countered.

 

"The Elves are strong and have the advantage of knowing their surroundings." Malia offered. "They'll win for sure."

 

"But some of them will die." Stiles barked.

 

"And most of them will live!" Malia shot back. The tension was rising as people looked between Stiles and Malia. Stiles was starting to dislike Malia more and more, and they hadn't even trained yet.

 

It was quiet for a while, until Stiles made one of the most reckless decisions of his life.  He stopped his horse and turned around, creating a gap between him and the others.

 

"Stiles what are you doing!?" Allison shouted.

 

"Nobody's gonna die because of me anymore!" Was all Stiles replied. He urged his horse to run and the distance between him and his friends grew.

 

He couldn't hear what any of them were saying when he raced back to the city, through thick woods. He reached it within minutes and when he passed through the arch he could already see the Elves preparing for battle. They were now running around in gold armor and they all donned bows and swords. 

 

The Elves never used horses for transportation so they all looked at Stiles as he raced through the city to where all the Elves were headed. Probably to where the attackers were.

 

He passed through another arch (probably the other side of the city) and kept going, that is until he saw movement between the trees. As he got closer he saw that what was coming, weren't Cultists.

 

They were bandits, thieves, bounty hunters, civilians. All probably driven by greed. Most of them were riding a horse but some of them were walking. It truly seemed like an incredibly random compilation of people. They had one thing in common though.

 

Bloodthirst was in their eyes.

 

When Stiles got close enough he yelled.

 

"Hey dickfaces!" 

 

The army of crooks came to a halt.

 

"You recognize me?" Where was he going with this?

 

"I'm the one on the poster! But you probably knew that right? There's a big bounty on my head." Gods he hoped this would end well.

 

"If you want to be rich, come and get me!" He steered the horse to the right and started running again. He hoped he could lead them around the city and into the rest of the forest. After that, he didn't really have a plan. Stay alive. 

 

He heard some shouts and the sound of swords clashing on shields as the army followed him, his plan seemed to work. For some reason though, he didn't expect them to have mages. That's why he was utterly surprised when a woman seemingly jumped over him and landed in front of him, facing him.

 

He quickly managed to get his horse around her, but she threw a fireball at him. He felt a sharp burn in his left shoulder and when he looked at it, he could see a small part of his shirt was burned off. The fire grazed him but didn't do much damage.

 

Without looking, he flicked a fireball over his shoulder himself. Judging by the sound of it, it didn't hit anyone. He wasn't dead himself yet. He sort of counted that as a win.

 

"Kai'tan?" He tried. No reaction. It looked like the dragon wasn't gonna help him out this time.

 

A part of the ground suddenly raised and Stiles didn't see it in time. The horse tripped and fell, Stiles hit the ground with a hard thud. He could hear the shouts coming closer and closer. 

 

He scrambled to get up and saw that the horse was already running again. Stiles ran as fast as he could and then with a burst of confidence, he jumped in the air. then he propelled himself using air magic so that he shot through the air. He managed to land on the horseback quite uncomfortably but after a quick shuffle he was sitting again.

 

A fireball shot past his ear, missing him. He sure was lucky that most of the attackers were amateurs because the gods know he wouldn't have lasted long if it had been cultists chasing him.

 

This went on for a while. Blasts of elements shooting past him or even hitting him sometimes. A small piece of rock crashed against his back harshly, leaving a bruise but nothing more. That is until an arrow hit the horse in the left leg. 

 

It crashed down, sending Stiles rolling through dirt and dry leaves. When he raised his head he could just see another arrow hitting the horse. This time right in the head, successfully killing the poor creature.

 

He stood up. A gust of wind was shot at him but he reacted quickly by raising a sloppy earth wall in front of him, breaking the wind around him. He then punched the wall causing it to shot forward. It hit the horse closest to Stiles. It went down and in the chaos it took down about ten other horses. If only it was enough to save Stiles.

 

The people who got closer slowed down and circled around Stiles, closing him in. He was now surrounded by a bunch of angry looking people. But they didn't make a move to attack.

 

That is when it hit Stiles.

 

Their previous attacks were so badly aimed because they want to get him alive. 

 

"Who are you?" He shouted, trying to be intimidating but his chances were slimming. A cold sense of defeat spread throughout his body. "Why are you so desperate that you're willing to kill an innocent teenager.

 

Right then a woman laughed. She was one of the people on the front. She calmly stepped off her horse. Her blonde hair reaching to her waist. Her face had a certain hard look to it. As if she wouldn't hesitate to slice Stiles open if he defied her.

 

"My name is Eve." She said as she grabbed a large war hammer from a strap on her back. She held the hammer casually and close to the ground. Her ease with the heavy object made Stiles nauseous. If she felt the need to grab the hammer, things probably weren't looking good for him.

 

"And you're coming with us." 

 

Without a signal she suddenly swung the hammer upwards, hitting Stiles on the side of his head.

 

He immediately blacked out.


	17. Chapter 12

Stiles woke up to a headache.

 

He couldn't believe he'd been sleeping peacefully with the Elves not too long ago. He didn't know how long ago, he was very disorientated. It was definitely daytime, the sun was shining bright and the temperature was nice. Not too warm, not too cold, with a slight breeze.

 

That's when he realized he was lying down, but still looking at the sky, and it moved. He wasn't on a horse because it wouldn't have been nearly as comfortable. But he also wasn't dragged on the ground cause that would hurt.

 

He sat up. He immediately noticed the rope tied around his neck, connecting to whatever he was on. Turns out that whatever he was on, was a wagon, pulled by two horses

 

. A flask was handed to him and when Stiles' eyes followed the arm, it turned out to be the woman from earlier. Eve.

 

"If I take it... Are you gonna whack me with your hammer again?" He winced. "Cause if this is a trap, I'd rather be thirsty than braindead."

 

At this she let out a loud laugh, not a menacing one, or a cold one. It was a genuine laugh. Her eyes crinkled a little. She then shook her hand as if to convince him to take the flask. "Don't worry about it." She smiled. "We've already caught you. No need to treat you like shit as long as you cooperate."

 

Stiles looked at her quizzically before very slowly reaching out and taking the flask. He quickly drank from it and even though it wasn't really that long since he had anything to drink, it felt like pure bliss.

 

"Just cause we're poor doesn't mean we're bad people." Eve chuckled as she observed Stiles.

 

"Kidnapping then killing an innocent boy doesn't exactly sound like 'good people' either." Stiles frowned after he wiped his mouth with his hands (which were surprisingly both free).

 

"We're just kidnapping you." Eve countered, raising her eyebrows as if she was offended by the accusation. "Nobody said anything about killing you. I definitely wouldn't kill an innocent boy."

 

"Not even when there's a big fucking bounty on his head?" Stiles arched an eyebrow.

 

"Not if I have to share that bounty with about a hundred people." Eve replied, smirking. "This whole kidnapping thing's already a bit out of my comfort zone."

 

"Well, don't worry. You're doing a pretty decent job." Stiles grimaced as he rubbed his temple, where he'd been hit by Eve's warhammer.

 

"Yeah, sorry about that." Eve shrugged, looking guilty. "I figured it would be the only way to get you to come with us. You look like the guy who'd rather die than be captured. Didn't want you to kill other innocent people."

 

"Innocent?" Stiles snorted.

 

"Yes, innocent." Eve nodded. "All these people are farmers and merchants. Never hurt a fly, they just really need the money." Then her expression turned serious. "And so do I."

 

"I understand." Stiles nodded, because he did. He really did. "But if I would participate in this shit? No way. What do you do for a living when you're not abducting people and selling them out?"

 

"I used to be in the army." Eve looked away. "But then an arrow hit me in my back and I was sent home. Then I became a blacksmith."

 

Stiles blew out a low whistle. "That's intense. Must be why you pack a mean punch."

 

"I guess." She shrugged as she casually took the flask from him and took a sip.

 

"How come my hands aren't tied?"

 

"Cause you're a sensible kid." Eve laughed. "You're surrounded. Even if you were to escape, you'd have no chance of getting out of here. Whatever you did to get such a high bounty, you can't defeat so many on your own."

 

Stiles nodded. It made sense. It sucked but it made sense. "I really hate this, Eve." He sighed, letting himself fall on his back to look at the sky.

 

"Hate what?" Eve asked.

 

"I hate that you're being so nice." Stiles admitted. "I think it would be easier if you were a bitch so I could hate you. Now I understand you and almost want to come along with you."

 

Eve laughed. "I could be meaner to you if you want."

 

This time Stiles chuckled, then he sat up. "No thank you, I think I actually prefer this."

 

"Good, cause I'm horrible at being mean." Eve said and then she and Stiles both started laughing. The people surrounding the wagon giving them strange looks because really. What could these two be possible laughing about together?

 

"How long was I out?" Stiles asked when he regained his posture a bit.

 

"More than a day." Eve grimaced apologetically. "I might have overdone it a little."

 

"Fuck." Stiles breathed. They'd been traveling for over a day? At this speed, he must be miles away from his friends. Even if he managed to get away now, he'd never be able to find his friends. Where would he go then? He was a wanted man. Beacon Hills was gone. His father was nowhere to be found, and he was completely broke. Things were really looking bad for Stiles now.

 

Eve sighed. She must have noticed his change in expression.

 

"Look, I'm very sorry about all of this. I really am, but if I don't, my entire town is gonna die of starvation. We lost all our animals because of a plague and we don't have any food. We don't have enough gold to buy from the cities so this is our only way."

 

"I understand you." Stiles pouted. "I just don't like it." He let out a breath. "I really, really don't."

 

"Maybe whoever wants you so bad just wants to do some research or something?" Eve said, not looking too convincing. "They might let you go after an hour!"

 

"Believe me." Stiles let out a dry chuckle. "They won't."

 

"Mind if I ask why they want you?" Eve said, as if this question had been burning on her tongue ever since he woke up.

 

"I don't mind you asking." Stiles shrugged. "But I'm not gonna tell you."

 

"Okay." Eve nodded, she understood. Good.

 

They talked like that for a while, about where they came from (Eve also never heard of Beacon Hills). She was from a small town called Stonecairn. Legends told that it was founded by some of the first ever Dwarves. They talked until the sun went down.

 

That's when everybody stopped and set up camp. Stiles was in the middle of the camp. He was tied to the wagon but at least he got a blanket and a pillow. Next to him was Eve.

 

When it was dark and he was fairly certain everyone was asleep he suddenly had something very urgent.

 

"Pssst!" He whispered. "Eve...."

 

"What?" She sounded half awake.

 

"I don't wanna be weird, but I kind of need to go to the bathroom..."

 

Eve groaned and stood up. She grumpily untied Stiles and held the rope. "Don't try anything or I will wake everyone up, you know the drill." She spoke in a bored fashion.

 

"Yeah, yeah... Just take me somewhere I can pee."

 

They walked to the edge of the camp. Stiles felt like a dog. Being walked by someone. He even had a fucking leash around his neck. When they were at the edge, Eve stopped.

 

"Go on, I won't look." She yawned and turned away with a hand in front of her eyes. "But I'll know when you try to mess with the rope."

 

Stiles rolled his eyes because honestly, he knew there was no chance of escape right now. He walked as far as the rope would let him and then lowered his pants. As he was peeing he mindlessly looked around. That is until he saw something very familiar.

 

A set of bright blue eyes were staring at him from behind some tree. Stiles frowned, feeling uncomfortable with his dick out. He turned around a bit so the eyes weren't staring so directly at his junk.

 

Then the eyes shot away, but Stiles could see who they belonged to. As he heard the sound of rustling leaves going farther away from him he was still standing in shock. It was a wolf.

 

but not just any wolf.

 

Stiles knew this wolf.

 

It was Derek.


	18. Chapter 18

The next two days passed in a blur. Stiles was constantly accompanied by either Eve or some other less friendly bounty hunters. He slept next to Eve tied to the wagon and he got enough to eat. He had no idea where they were anymore, they'd gone through dense forest.

 

Every now and then he saw a glimpse of Derek, giving him hope that he might be able to get out of this unharmed. But when three days passed without any signs of his other friends, he started to get hopeless again.

 

"How long until we're there?" He asked Eve when they were eating. "Wherever 'there' may be."

 

"I'm not gonna tell you, Stiles." Eve smirked. "Just cause we're friendly to each other doesn't mean I'm keeping you updated."

 

Stiles grunted in response, not hungry anymore he left his chicken for what it was. Eve noticed.

 

"You gonna eat that?" She spoke with her mouth full. Stiles shook his head and Eve quickly grabbed the chicken. If Stiles wasn't a hostage, he would've taken a walk right now. Being surrounded by so many people all the time was starting to get to him.

 

He was about to ask Eve if she would let him walk around the forest (with supervision) when he was interrupted by a murmur of voices and footsteps. Eve noticed it too. She stood up and looked around. 

 

She grabbed someone who was walking past her by the shoulder. 

 

"What's happening?"

 

"Some newcomers." The guy said. "Said they want in on the bounty."

 

"What?!" Eve frowned. "Why would they get part of the bounty?" 

 

"Don't know." The guy shrugged. "Apparently they led the boy to us."

 

Stiles perked up at that. Could it be?

 

"Let's take a look." Eve said, taking Stiles' hand and leading him through the crowd. Stiles followed eagerly. Wanting to find out what was happening exactly.

 

When they reached the edge of the camp, Stiles felt like he could cry from relief. Standing there arguing with some of the bounty hunters were his friends. Scott quickly glanced at Stiles and when he saw him, Stiles recognized a glimmer of surprise on the boy's face. But Scott quickly managed to regain his posture and continue his argument. 

 

"If it weren't for us, you wouldn't have him right now!" Lydia replied to whatever her opponent just said.

 

"And what were you doing with him exactly?" The guy asked.

 

"Same thing you're doing." Allison spoke. "We wanted to cash the bounty. But he managed to escape."

 

"He escaped, so you failed. We still have him. That means we will succeed so we deserve the money." 

 

"That's unfair!" Scott exclaimed, only partially acted. Stiles felt a little uncomfortable, being spoken of as property.

 

"Wanna fight about it?" The guy said, putting his right hand on his sheathed sword.

 

"Enough!" Eve roared, stepping forward. She inspected Stiles' friends. "Look at them!" She turned to her own army. "They look like they could use the gold just as well as us. We'll give them part of the bounty if they travel with us."

 

A shocked gasp went through the crowd and Stiles noticed his own friends looking taken aback by Eve's kindness.

 

"But they don't dese-"

 

"They deserve it just as much as us, Magnus." Eve replied. "If you don't like it, you can leave and you get nothing. Understand?!" She raised her voice and scanned the crowd for a reply. When nothing came she calmed down. "Good." She turned to Lydia. "You'll sleep on the edge of the camp. I hope you brought your own supplies cause you're not getting any." She nodded at her own instructions and then turned around, walking back in the crowd. 

 

Stiles followed her, but not before throwing a quick glance at his friends. Kira sent him a small smile while Scott actually grinned. The rest had perfectly blank faces. 

 

Stiles was actually very proud of his friends. They used an actual strategy for once instead of just attacking mindlessly. 

 

Eve sat back down in her previous spot and Stiles followed suit. After a few silent seconds she looked at him.

 

"Did they speak the truth?"

 

"What?'

 

"Did they catch you? Held you hostage?"

 

"Yeah!" Stiles spoke, a bit too quickly. "They caught me a couple of weeks ago. I managed to escape when they were sleeping. Burnt the rope." He said, making sure to add a proud smile.

 

"I see." Eve nodded thoughtfully. "They definitely looked ready to fight."

 

"Yeah..." Stiles breathed. "I like you better." He joked, getting Eve to laugh.

 

"Don't suck up kid. We're not done yet." She said before eating her chicken again.

 

They went to sleep shortly after that. Exhausted after a full day of traveling. Stiles tried to a few quick glances of his friends but they were too far away. After a couple of hours of restless twisting and turning, he fell asleep.

 

-

 

Stiles woke up when he heard a soft rustling sound. He opened his eyes to see someone leaning over Eve. Someone armed with a sword. He couldn't stop himself from gasping. 

 

This woke Eve up. When Eve saw what happened she immediately kicked her foot out, tackling her attacker. The man fell to the ground about as quickly as Eve shot up. Before the man could get up, Eve had grabbed a sword from her side and held it to the man's throat.

 

"What in the name of the Gods do you think you're doing?!" She hissed, a deadly glint in her eyes. Stiles didn't recognize the man.

 

The man remained silent.

 

"Speak!" Eve hissed again. "What's your plan?"

 

"I'm not telling you anything!" The man defended.

 

Without a further word Eve pushed her sword through the man's right shoulder. He cried out in agony, waking some people up.

 

"I asked you something!" 

 

For the first time since she'd knocked Stiles out, he was scared of Eve again.

 

"It's a conspiracy." The man whined. "Part of the group planned to take the other part out so we could get more gold. It happens tonight."

 

"And you were about to kill me?" Eve asked, lowering so that her face was closer to the man's.

 

"No." He whimpered. 

 

She stepped her foot on his bleeding shoulder, making him cry out again.

 

"Yes!" He cried.

 

With a quick slash of her sword, she cut his throat. Life disappeared from his eyes within seconds. 

 

Stiles fought the urge to throw up as he scrambled backwards, away from the blood and death.

 

"If what he said was true." Eve said, quickly packing her stuff into her backpack and stepping over the corpse. "We're gonna get out of here right now."

 

"What?!" Stiles asked, thoughts racing through his mind. Where were they going? What about his friends? What about him?!

 

"We can manage this on our own." Eve said, cutting Stiles loose. "The boats aren't that far anymore anyway."

 

"Boats?" Stiles asked as Eve dragged him through the camp, ignoring any questions.

 

"We're gonna sail across the Murky Lake."

 

"Are we near the Murky La-"

 

A loud bang sounded as the black sky flashed bright. Then all hell broke loose.

 

From seemingly everywhere, clashing metal and screaming was heard. Stiles barely managed to dodge a few ice spikes and fireballs. Eve kept a straight course. Everyone in a while someone tried to attack them, but with a quick swing of her hammer or sword, they would continue.

 

"SCOTT?!" Stiles yelled. He couldn't help it. Maybe his friends were alive and looking for him. "ALLISON?! I'M OVER HERE!"

 

"Shut up!" Eve snarked. "We shouldn't attract attention."

 

Stiles kept his mouth shut, because what she said was right. Yet when he looked behind him, he could swear he saw a pair of glowing blue eyes follow him.

 

"STILES! "He heard Scott shout. "WE'RE COMING!" 

 

That gave Stiles a flicker of courage. He raised his hands, he was about to blow Eve away with a strong gust of wind, but she must have anticipated it. 

 

"Oh no you don't!" She spoke as she jumped backwards and grabbed both his wrists with her hands. He couldn't move his arms now so no way he could control any magic.

 

Eve pulled a small rope from her arm and tied it around Stiles' wrists. They ran like this. Eve holding the rope as if it was a leash. They had already left the camp and behind them were the cries of death and violence.

 

They were followed by a couple of bounty hunters but nowhere near as much as there were.

 

After a few minutes of running and some fantastically missing arrows, they jumped out of the trees and landed on a beach. Stiles had never been on a beach before, but he didn't have time to enjoy it, because they were immediately running towards one of the many boats that were lying halfway in the water.

 

Stiles then heard the sound of clattering swords and the nauseating sound of ripping flesh way closer behind him. He was too scared to look.

 

They were almost at the boat. Their feet were already in the water, when a voice shouted from behind him.

 

"Stop right there!"

 

It was Allison.

 

Eve and Stiles stopped and turned around. 

 

Allison was standing about thirty feet away from them, her bow aimed at Eve. Behind her were Scott, Isaac and Derek. Kira and Lydia were about five feet behind them, catching up along with Malia.

 

Stiles could see the trees behind them and the feint orange glow of a raging fire hung above the forest like a cloak. The riot must still be going on.

 

"Hand Stiles over or I swear to all the Gods I will put this arrow between your eyes."

 

"You wouldn't!" Eve countered. "You're just a kid. You don't have the guts."

 

Stiles almost winced at how wrong Eve was. Despite everything that happened, he still felt somehow sorry for Eve. He hoped they could work this out so that he could be free but Eve would also be better off.

 

"You fucking test me." Allison said, her face pure determination.

 

Eve lowered her head, her hand on Stiles' shoulder. 

 

Stiles' heart jumped in his throat when he suddenly heard Eve sniff. He looked at her and when she looked up, tears were streaming down her face.

 

"I'm so sorry Stiles." She cried.

 

Then both her arms shut up and the water around their feet shot up in a big orb, enveloping Stiles' entire body and head. He couldn't breathe.

 

"Go!" Eve shouted to Stiles' friends. But Stiles could barely hear it through the water. "If you're not gone within thirty seconds he'll die."

 

Stiles couldn't believe it.

 

Eve was a mage.

 

About to kill Stiles 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry this isn't my best chapter but i got inspiration and i'm also having a horrible day so...

Stiles couldn't breathe.

 

He literally couldn't breathe. His vision was going blurry as he saw his friends look at him. Eve had him captured in an orb of water

 

"I MEAN IT!" Eve shouted. "Leave now, or I'll drown him and drag his body to the bottom of this lake. Nobody gets anything." She seemed desperate, tears were streaming down her face and her hands were shaking.

 

"Please let him go!" Scott tried, but Eve didn't respond. 

 

Behind his friends, others were starting to fill the beach, closing in on the scene. If they didn't do anything, they'd be killed by the others for sure.

 

"You're outnumbered." Allison spoke. "Whatever you do to him, you'll regret it."

 

That didn't seem to faze Eve.

 

Suddenly, the orb changed shape and shot sidewards. It froze over and formed a cone. Blood deviled the water as the sharp ice point pierced Eve's chest. Eve fell down into the water and disappeared from sight. The ice around Stiles' body melted and fell down. 

 

Stiles could finally breathe again, but he wasn't calm at all. Eve was dead.

 

Malia lowered her hands. She'd killed Eve.

 

"Let's go." Allison simply stated before she ran toward the boat. The others followed quickly. Stiles still stood there, watching the water where Eve fell down. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

 

Derek looked at him and nodded to the boat. Stiles was pulled out of his thoughts and followed. He used the water to propel himself on board. Derek just jumped up the side.

 

"We have to destroy the other boats." Isaac spoke. "Or they'll follow us."

 

"He's right." Lydia agreed. "If they get to us, we're dead."

 

"Stiles and I'll take care of it." Malia offered. "You know how a boat works? We'll catch up."

 

"Stiles nearly died." Allison countered. "He needs rest." 

 

Stiles agreed.

 

"But we can't afford rest." Malia got in Allison's face. "Stiles can take his little nap when we've escaped these psychos that are trying to kill us." She then turned to Stiles. "What do you think princess? Think you can manage."

 

Stiles nodded weakly. It's not like he really had a choice.

 

Malia grinned. "Good." Then she jumped off the boat. Stiles followed her.

 

"If you take this side. I'll take the other." Malia said, before Stiles could respond she was gone. She ran to the other boats and with blasts of fire she destroyed them. 

 

Stiles sent out a big burst of fire. It completely enveloped the first boat but there were about twenty others. It would take forever. 

 

"Please Kai'tan.." He whispered to himself as the shouting got closer. "I'm sorry for whatever made you hate me, but I really need you right now. Can you please help me and when I survive this night we can talk all about what a bad person I am. I beg you."

 

When he got no response, he almost gave up. That is until all of a sudden his body started throbbing with energy. He raised his hands and a wall of giant ice spikes rose from the water, piercing and lifting the boats. He then threw his arms down and the ice spikes melted. The boats crashed down in an explosion of wood and water.

 

Stiles launched himself from the water and landed on the boat. His legs gave away and his face slammed into the cold wood.

 

"That was intense" Kira breathed as his friends rushed to his aid.

 

"Kai'tan?" Scott asked as he supported his friend to get up.

 

Stiles nodded, all his energy was drained from his body.

 

He heard Malia step on board as well.

 

"We have a head start." She spoke. "I can use some magic to get us going even faster."

 

"That would be sweet." Scott nodded. Lydia was already behind the wheel.

 

"We need your help to get this thing off shore." She shouted. "We're stuck in the sand!"

 

Malia nodded and walked to the edge of the ship. She pulled the water of the lake until it was high enough for the boat to come loose. She then pushed wind into the sails and they sped off. Away from the beach. Away from the bounty hunters. Away from Eve.


	20. Chapter 20

Stiles opened his eyes to be met by a grey sky. He didn't remember falling asleep at all. He got up and looked around. They were still on the boat. Malia and Derek were still sleeping, Scott and Isaac were sitting on the edge of the boat, their legs dangling on the side. Allison was standing talking to Lydia, who looked exhausted. Kira was meditating with Kayla in her lap.

 

He groaned as he got up, his back and neck sore from the hard wood.

 

Isaac turned around as soon as Stiles groaned. He nudged Scott. Scott grinned widely as he rushed towards Stiles.

 

"Good to see you man!" He smiled. 

 

"Waiting for me to wake up again Scotty boy." Stiles chuckled. "Let's not make this a habit cause I'm really not liking it." He groaned as he rubbed his stiff neck. Scott smiled sympathetically. 

 

"I don't really like it either. But at least you don't have to sit through the entire journey, cause believe me, it's taking a long fucking time."

 

"Where are we now?" Stiles frowned at his friend's negativity.

 

"We're on the Murky Lake." Scott said, looking around. "Apparently The Capital is located just on the other side so believe it or not, but we're almost there. We've been sailing all night. Poor Lydia." He nodded to the barely awake redhead. "We'll arrive tomorrow."

 

"Holy shit..." Stiles breathed. "And I've been unconscious for most of the journey."

 

"Lucky." Scott laughed.

 

Scott then handed Stiles an apple. Stiles bit into it gratefully. Then Isaac joined them and told Stiles how happy he was that the boy was okay. It felt strange to Stiles because they barely even talked, but he figured he would be pretty upset if Isaac died as well.

 

"How did you even find me?" Stiles asked after he'd devoured his third apple. "I saw Derek a couple of times, but I have no idea where I was. How did you know? I was legitimately scared I was done for."

 

"Derek followed your scent." Isaac told Stiles. "He's a lot better at it than I am. He told us where to go and we followed. It was Scott's idea to pretend to want the bounty as well." he said, giving Scott a fond smile.

 

"Really?" Stiles raised an eyebrow at his best friend. "Since when are you the strategic type?"

 

"Since I have to defend my idiot best friend."

 

"That's hurtful!" Stiles cried as he threw the remaining of his apple at Scott's face.

 

"So how did you survive those days?" Isaac asked, suddenly serious. "Must've been tough."

 

Stiles sighed. Thoughts of Eve and how she treated him. Until she found her end because of Malia. So then he told them everything. About how he and Eve laughed, and him taking a piss when he found Derek.

 

"So, you're not really happy with Malia right now." Scott frowned, looking over to the sleeping girl.

 

"I don't know." Stiles shrugged. "She did save me, I just think she could've done it without actually killing Eve. Malia's just so unpredictable and I don't know if that's a good thing."

 

"Guess we'll find out." Isaac said before running to the side of the boat again.

 

Scott's eyes followed Isaac as if he wanted to follow him, but then he looked at Stiles, as if he felt bad for leaving him.

 

"Go!" Stiles urged. "But we're going to have a talk about this later."

 

"Deal!" Scott beamed before going to Isaac.

 

Stiles then walked up to Lydia and Allison. They hugged and exchanged stories about what happened. Lydia then asked Allison to "take over for the love of the Gods cause I'm gonna collapse. Just keep the wheel straight." and went to sleep. 

 

Allison was just telling Stiles about how they had plans to save Stiles once they'd joined the bounty hunters, when Stiles saw Derek wake up.

 

"Hold up one second." Stiles told her as he rushed across the boat to where Derek was now standing up.

 

Derek looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

 

"Hey." Stiles breathed.

 

"Hey." Derek replied, albeit somewhat confused.

 

"So, I heard you were a pretty big deal in saving me." 

 

"Yes." Derek just nodded.

 

Stiles then stepped forward and hugged him. It felt like a proper thank you.

 

"What are you doing?" Derek asked uncomfortably.

 

"I'm hugging you!" Stiles whispered, trying to get over how fucking good Derek smelled as he nuzzled his nose in the older man's neck.

 

"I don't like hugging." Derek grunted.

 

"Well I absolutely do not care." Stiles replied childishly. "You saved me and I'm thanking you."

 

"You're welcome." Derek replied shortly. "Now let go."

 

Stiles did as he was told, although he made a mental note to remember the scent, cause he really fucking loved it. "I just thought you were an asshole but it turns out you're just a big softie." Stiles teased, resisting the urge to pinch Derek's cheek, but he suspected he'd lose a limb if he did that.

 

"I'm not a softie." Derek frowned.

 

"Yes you are."

 

"Shut up." He then turned around and walked to the edge. For a second it looked like he was about to dive in, but then he decided against it so he walked up to Allison. They started talking about something Stiles couldn't hear. 

 

That's weird. When did they become friends?

 

He spent a lot of the day just sitting around, Kira woke up from her meditation after a few hours. How she could remain so still for literally hours was above Stiles. Malia found a way to fish successfully. She used magic to raise big amounts of water and then pulled the fish out of it.

 

They cooked the fish using fire magic and they tasted fucking delicious. A few hours after Lydia woke up and joined their lunch. She told Stiles how they were sailing straight for the Capital Docks. They'd arrive about this time tomorrow.

 

Scott and Isaac went for a swim, creating the perfect moment for the Stiles, Allison and Lydia to talk about whatever they had going on.

 

"I honestly don't care as long as they're happy with it." Allison shrugged.

 

"Really?" Stiles raised an eyebrow. "You're okay with that?"

 

"You're not?!" Lydia shot him a sharp look.

 

"No, of course I am! Scott's my best friend!" Stiles defended. "I don't know, I just always thought you two would end up together and get kids and shit." He shrugged, gesturing between Allison and the water where Scott was heard laughing."

 

"No way!" Allison laughed. "I love him as a friend but holy shit would he be a terrible husband."

 

"I think they're cute together." Kira smiled. Obviously just happy to be able to take part in this conversation.

 

"Yeah.. Sucks Isaac hates your guts." Malia laughed after she took a bite of fish.

 

"Why does he hate me?" Kira frowned.

 

"He's jealous." Allison explained. "Don't worry, it'll fade away once he realized Scott is just really interested in Elves, not you personally."

 

"Okay good" Kira breathed, looking relieved.

 

"I don't understand how they're even okay with swimming in there." Malia shrugged.

 

"Why?" Stiles frowned.

 

"Dude.." Malia began, putting her fish down because what she was gonna tell Stiles was apparently very intense. "Haven't you heard the rumors about the Murky Lake?" She asked.

 

Stiles, Allison and Lydia shook their heads.

 

"Have you been living under a rock?!" Malia exclaimed. "People claim this lake is infested with evil water spirits and scary monsters. I think one time someone saw an actual Kraken." She whispered, an eerie grin on her face.

 

"A Kraken?! No way." Allison denied. "Those haven't been sighted in thousands of years."

 

"But in the Murky Lake they have." Malia grinned.

 

"That's ridiculous." Lydia snorted, but Stiles scooted away from the edge a little.

 

"Whatever you say." Malia shrugged, grabbing her abandoned fish again.

 

After that conversation, night fell and a big storm erupted. Stiles and Malia turned some of the rain into ice and formed it into an arch over the deck, shielding all of them for the rain. They then proceeded to make ice walls, giving each other privacy. They froze the steering wheel into place so everyone could actually sleep tonight.

 

Stiles was lying in his own icy compartment with the sound of the wind howling lulling him to sleep.

 

He was woken up when a shadow was standing over him. It was Derek.

 

"Dude!" Stiles jolted awake. "What the fuck?! You nearly gave me a heart attack."

 

"Can I sleep in here?" Derek asked, his face blank.

 

"Why?" Stiles frowned in confusion, because really, what was happening.

 

"Does it matter?" Derek sighed exasperated.

 

"Actually, yes!" Stiles nodded fiercely. This could be a very indiscrete assassination attempt." 

 

"I don't like spirits okay." Derek hissed.

 

Realization dawned over Stiles and a grin spread over his face.

 

"Awwww is the big bad wolf afraid of the spooky lake." He teased in a childish voice.

 

"Shut up!" Derek snarled, his eyes flashing blue. "I'm just being strategic. If spirits attack us, Kai'tan is probably gonna save us all."

 

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Stiles grinned. "Yeah you can sleep here. But no morning wood cause I don't want us to be awkward tomorrow." He was only half joking.

 

"You're disgusting." Derek complained, but went to lay down next to Stiles anyway.

 

They were almost sleeping when a question bubbled in Stiles' mind.

 

"Derek..?"

 

"What?" Derek's response came very late.

 

"Why don't you like perfect things?"

 

"What?"

 

Stiles turned around so that he was now facing the Shapeshifter, but he still couldn't see him in the dark.

 

"When I was training the day I got caught. You destroyed my water orb because you hate perfection. Why do you hate perfection? Is that a personal thing or just some sort of weird principle?"

 

"Just cause I'm lying next to you doesn't mean we're gonna have a 'sincere' talk Stiles." Derek responded.

 

"Oh.." Stiles mumbled. He turned around disappointed and tried to get some sleep.

 

After a few seconds Derek sighed.

 

"I hate perfection because it doesn't exist." He explained reluctantly. "Everything that seems perfect isn't. It's temporary or flawed. Perfection is an illusion. And I don't like illusions. they cloud your mind and distract you from what's really important."

 

Stiles felt shocked at the detailed explanation when he wasn't expecting one. He was about to argue with Derek.

 

"But if perfection-"

 

"Goodnight Stiles." 

 

"Derek-"

 

"Goodnight." Derek interrupted him again, making it clear he didn't want to talk.

 

"Goodnight." Stiles sighed, giving up.

 

"Stiles?"

 

"Yeah?" The boy replied hopefully.

 

"If you tell anyone about this, I'm gonna rip your throat out... with my teeth."

 

That didn't scare Stiles at all.

 

"Goodnight Derek." He smiled


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm talking about a 'Skraull' in this chapter, and to make it clear for you. A Skraull is about the size of the basilisk from Harry Potter, but a darker green.

Stiles opened his eyes to the feeling of something poking his lower back. He wanted to turn around but a large muscled arm was draped over his side, keeping him in place. He didn't have to look around to notice the musky smell of Derek.

 

If you'd asked Stiles a couple of months ago where he'd be right now, this wasn't what he thought he'd answer. And no, he didn't mean because of Kai'tan and the cultist and the destruction of Beacon Hills. He meant that he was now Derek's fucking little spoon. 

 

He tried to wiggle out of Derek's grip, but the Shapeshifter didn't let go. All it did was create friction between them, sending warm jolts of arousal to Stiles' dick as he felt Derek's erection through the fabric of their pants. If Derek woke up now, it would be incredibly awkward.

 

Eventually Stiles managed to pry Derek's arm off him and he stood up. He walked to the wall of ice and placed his hand on it, it immediately started melting, allowing Stiles to exit his makeshift bedroom.

 

He walked to the edge of the boat and sent some water flying at his face, trying to get rid of his morning problem. When he looked left he saw Scott. He was also standing on the edge, but his gaze was fixed on something. Something Stiles couldn't see.

 

"Scott?" Stiles asked. Scott didn't react.

 

"You okay, buddy?" 

 

Scott stood still as a statue. Stiles followed his line of sight and he frowned in confusion when a saw a small green whisp hovering about ten feet away from the boat, above the water. that's what Scott's eyes were fixed on.

 

As soon as Stiles' gaze caught the whisp, it felt like he had jumped into a big fluffy cloud of ecstasy. All he wanted was to get closer to the pretty light. He took a step forward, not caring that his toes curled over the edge. 

 

The whisp would probably make him fly, or it wouldn't. Whatever, it was just so pretty. Stiles had to touch it, he just had to.

 

 **" _Don't."_** Kai'tan's short command cut through the trance like a guillotine. Stiles took a step back. What was he thinking? Right then he heard a big splash and Scott was no longer standing on the boat.

 

The bright green whisp that had seemed so pretty just seconds before, now turned sickly and vile. The whisp plummeted into the water and disappeard in a small cloud of smoke. The sickly green glow spread from where it landed. The water almost looking poisonous.

 

"Guys?!" Stiles shouted, he just hoped somebody was awake, Scott still hasn't surfaced. "What's happening?" 

 

Immediately Kira was by his side.

 

"What happened?!" She looked at him frantically, a hand on the heft of her Katana. 

 

"Some sort of green floating whisp just lured Scott into the water and now the water's green!" Stiles said, not taking his eyes off the place where his best friend sank just now. "Do you know what this is?"

 

"No idea!" Kira admitted. Suddenly something hit the ship, causing the wood to moan in a not so encouraging way. Then another hit and Stiles could see a big long shadow shoot through the water under the ship.

 

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" He shouted as the ship was rocking, he was desperately trying to keep his balance.

 

"It's very unlikely.." Kira said, not having trouble with her balance at all. "But I think that was a-"

 

She was cut off as an explosion of water erupted about thirty feet away from the boat. A humongous greenish snake burst out the surface. It spread it's giant bat like wings and shot at the boat with incredibly speed.

 

Malia suddenly jumped out of her 'bedroom' and with a thrust of both her arms, all the ice that was on board, shot at the creature. They collided in midair and the abomination fell into the water.

 

"That's a Skraull, definitely a Skraull!" Kira panted, drawing her sword. But Stiles wasn't listening. All he knew was that Scott was somewhere under water and that thing was there too.

 

"Scott's in there!" He breathed to himself, his eyes frantically scanning the surface. 

 

"No Stiles, you can't!" Kira tried, already knowing what he was gonna do, but Stiles didn't notice her, hell he didn't notice anything right now. He didn't know where Lydia was, or Allison, Isaac. Not even Derek. And to be honest he couldn't give a shit as long as he hadn't found his best friend yet.

 

So he jumped.

 

He dived into the water, the cold chilling him to his bones. He could vaguely hear Kira shout something after him but all the noises were soon drowned out. Literally. The water was far less murky than he'd expected it to be, considering it's called the Murky Lake. In fact, he could see pretty clearly.

 

Scott was ten feet deep, he didn't seem to be moving. In fact, it looked like he was held there by the water itself. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open, his head thrown in his neck.

 

Stiles swam over as fast as he could, but he came to a halt when he heard a horrible screeching. He turned around to see the Skraull coming right at him, it looked even bigger up close.

 

It's enormous mouth opened as he prepared to swallow Stiles whole. Stiles moved the water around him and launched himself sideways, out of the way of the Skraull. The beast shot past him, going to fast to suddenly stop.

 

Stiles then used his magic to pull Scott closer, the water around his best friend seemed heavier to control, but he managed anyway. By the time he had successfully pulled Scott in, the Skraull had turned around and charged for him again. It seemed like the lake itself just really fucking hated them.

 

Both Stiles' hands were occupied, now holding his best friend, so Stiles blew out a cold breath. It started with a tiny flick of ice, but the cold soon infected the water and the ice expanded, right in the direction of the Skraull.

 

The beast came to a stop only a few feet in front of Stiles once it was entirely frozen solid. A huge cone of ice was no suspended in the water, with Stiles at the very tip of it.

 

Another screech pierced through the sudden silence. Stiles looked around, he was starting to lose his breath and he was confused. The frozen Skraull didn't move. Then where did the sound come from?

 

What he didn't expect was another Skraull, charging at him from below. So when he looked down and saw what was happening, he gasped, getting a mouthful of filthy water. He held on to Scott as tightly as he could as he propelled himself through the water, upwards to the surface.

 

He barely noticed when he shot out of the water, he was still soaked and cold and Scott was still incredibly heavy. He shot up but he was getting tired. With a blast of air he shot himself towards the boat, only seconds before the second Skraull ascended.

 

Stiles fell back into the water. But as soon as he landed, the water around him floated upwards. Malia was bringing him and Scott to the boat. Her arms stretched and her tongue between her teeth in concentration. 

 

"Lydia!" He shouted, seeing Lydia and Allison standing on the edge of the boat, watching what was happening, Allison with a cocked arrow. "You have to sail away!" He breathed, hoping she could hear him. He didn't have much air in his lungs. "We need to get away."

 

He saw Lydia nod and run to the wheel. The sails caught wind and the boat started moving faster. The Skraull was gliding towards Stiles and Scott, but they were almost on board.

 

As soon as Stiles' back hit the hard surface of the boat, Malia blew a record amount of air in the sails, causing the boat to speed forward, the Skraull still chasing after them.

 

"Don't they have a weakness?" Stiles panted as he stood up, watching in horror as the Skraull closed in on them.

 

"They're afraid of fire!" Kira exclaimed. "And they have bad eyesight."

 

Stiles nodded. He walked to the back of the boat and punched his fist in the air, a beam of fire shooting out. While it was nowhere near enough to hurt a creature as big as a Skraull, it definitely scared it. Stiles then shot a couple of beams more until the creature was visibly slowing down. Then when the gap between them was growing, Stiles shot to blasts of fire out of his hands, but this time not at the beast. The blasts hit the water and with a sizzling hiss, a cloud of steam arose, covering them.

 

They sailed out of the cloud of steam, and the Skraull didn't follow. Stiles didn't want to believe it was over yet so he kept staring at the cloud until it was almost out of sight. Then a feint Skraull screech was heard and a loud splash of water. They'd lost him.

 

Nobody spoke for a few minutes, the encounter having put a grim atmosphere over the group. That is until Malia spoke up.

 

"Holy shit." she breathed. Stiles followed her line of sight and his mouth fell open. In the distance he could see towers. Huge towers, and lots of them. Made out of a orange/red looking stone, giving it a warm feeling.

 

"I never thought buildings could be that high." Isaac breathed from next to Scott where he was crouched. Scott was still unconscious. 

 

"Me neither." Stiles mumbled as he stared at the buildings in the distance.

 

They'd made it.

 

The Capitol.


	22. Chapter 22

Stiles' mouth was agape as they docked in The Capitol. Buildings of warm stone that reached so far into the sky they would probably be enveloped by clouds if there were any.

 

The minute they got off the boat, they were caught in a swirling vortex of activity. The Capitol was incredibly crowded, they were dragged in the current of people. 

 

They didn't talk about what happened on the lake because nobody had the answers to all the questions they had. What had happened exactly. Why were the Skraull suddenly out of the depths. What was that green thing?

 

Stiles pulled up his hood and wore a cowl in front of his face. He couldn't risk getting recognized by a wanted poster. The others also pulled on their hoods, they didn't have a cowl though.

 

On many street corners there were magicians, making beautiful shapes out of fire and ice. People playing music, even some people announcing the end of time. There was one however, that made Stiles very uncomfortable.

 

"The Gods are angry!" A man roared, his face riddled with scars and scabs, his mostly black teeth glimmering with saliva. "They are fighting a battle and we are the battleground! Haven't you seen the signs?!" He screeched in a woman's face, she walked around him. "The rise of spirit activity! My brother still hasn't returned from the Lake! He was probably caught by the Water spirits!" Saliva dribbled down his chin as he shook while shouting.

 

"Stiles!" Scott pulled Stiles' arm. Stiles had been standing in the middle of the path, blocking it. Listening to the maybe not so mad man.

 

"Whatever we have done to upset the Gods..." The man announced. "We must change it back, or we're all doomed!" 

 

The others then pulled Stiles away so he couldn't hear the man. But was he right? Is that what's happening? The Gods are getting weary and are raising their defenses. Maybe this was bigger than just Kai'tan.

 

"Remember, we need to keep a low profile." Allison spoke, soft enough so only them could hear. "No shenanigans until we- Malia!" 

 

Stiles followed Allison's gaze and saw Malia had started her own show. A cup made out of stone in front of her, she was steering an intricate web of water around her body. People were loving it and already the cup was filled with a few coins.

 

"We don't want to attract attention!" Allison hissed after she approached Malia. Malia shot her an incredibly annoyed look, but took her cup and stopped her performance anyway, to the dismay of a few passengers.

 

"Let's go to an Inn first!" Scott proposed. "I'm absolutely starving."

 

Stiles grabbed his stomach. Now that Scott mentioned it, Stiles could use a little food as well. He voiced his agreement.

 

"Fine." Allison huffed after even Lydia agreed. "Then when we've had a decent meal, we'll ask around about Peter. Okay?"

 

They all nodded and Lydia - being the only one that's ever been in The Capitol before (except for Derek but he didn't talk much) - led them to 'The Skinned Hare'. Where they sat down.

 

Stiles and Derek sat down while the others ordered their food. Stiles let Scott order for him, claiming that he was very tired and had to sit down, while Derek told them he wasn't hungry, and if he was, he wouldn't like what this place had to offer anyway.

 

"So..." Stiles spoke after a short silence. "Slept well last night?"

 

"It was okay." Derek shortly replied.

 

"Just okay?" Stiles wiggled his eyebrows "Cause you seemed to like sleeping next to me an awful lot this morning."

 

For the first time since he met him, Stiles saw Derek get uncomfortable. A blush crept on his cheeks and his ears as he searched for anything other than Stiles to look at. 

 

"That had nothing to do with you." He scoffed. "It's a natural thing."

 

"I know." Stiles raised his hands in defense. "Just felt like it had to be said. Didn't think you were a cuddler."

 

"Shut up." Derek grunted.

 

"No really." Stiles pushed.

 

"You're very annoying." Derek stated.

 

"I know!" Stiles grinned. "But I guess you say that to everybody who wants to hold a conversation with you."

 

"I wouldn't know. No one's ever been stupid enough to try."

 

"Well I am." Stiles nodded. "I want to get to know you. Because I bet behind that grumpy brooding sourwolf exterior, there's a big lovable softy wanting to be loved." 

 

"Shut up."

 

"I think you secretly like me." Stiles smirked, not really believing his own words, just wanting to make Derek as uncomfortable as humanly possible.

 

"Shut up."

 

"No I won't! I bet you've fantasized about me-" Stiles stopped abruptly as he looked past Derek and caught the eyes of a hooded figure sitting on the other side of the Inn. They didn't look like the cultists, but something seemed off. 

 

A cold sense of unease slivered through Stiles like poison.

 

"Stiles?" Derek asked. but Stiles didn't hear it. All he noticed was Kai'tan stirring inside him, feeling uncomfortable as well. Derek tapped Stiles' shoulder, but Stiles had his gaze fixed on the mysterious figure. Their eyes were locked.

 

As he stared into a pair of pale blue eyes he kept feeling Kai'tan inside of him, like he was growing. He didn't even notice he was having difficulty breathing until Derek told him to breathe in and out.

 

He was scared. His eyesight started switching form normal to incredibly sharp and focused. It felt like Kai'tan was taking over and that scared Stiles. He had to get out of here. He pushed his seat backwards as he rushed out of the building, into the crowded street. When he passed a window, he saw that his eyes were constantly shifting between his own light brown, and Kai'tan's fiery glow.

 

The further he ran away from the Inn and therefore the hooded figure, the better he started feeling. He lost track of time as he jumped into an abandoned alley. When suddenly his name was being yelled and he was tackled to the ground.

 

He hit the ground with his face, a jolt of pain shooting through his skull. He was thrashing and resisting against whoever was holding him. then he was forcefully turned around and his eyes met Derek's pale green ones.

 

"Are you okay?" Derek asked, his face incredibly close to Stiles. He was still on top of him.

 

Stiles shook his head as his breathing started to calm down, because no, he wasn't okay. But he wanted to be. His eyes flickered to Derek's mouth, a little bit open.

 

Then, with a rush of adrenaline and an urge to feel good, he shot forward and caught Derek's lips with his own. 

 

Derek didn't react at first, but after a second, he moved his lips along with Stiles' opening them slightly, letting Stiles' tongue brush past them. Then it intensified and Derek opened his mouth more. Stiles' tongue slid in and explored Derek's mouth, playing with his tongue.

 

Stiles had expected a worse breath from someone who was half wolf, but Derek tasted amazing. They stayed like that for a while, Stiles could feel Derek's erection pressing against his thigh. He himself was almost painfully hard, but he didn't want anything to happen right now. Not here, not after this breakdown.

 

His warm haze of Derek was broken when Derek pulled away.

 

"Better?" He asked as if he'd given Stiles medicine.

 

Stiles nodded.

 

Derek swallowed. "Good." He nodded, then he stood up, pulling Stiles up as well.

 

"Well well... Wasn't that cute!" A rough voice shouted from the end of the alley. When they turned around, Stiles and Derek noticed five muscular men with big swords and one with a hammer. 

 

"If you're done eating each other's faces." The man who'd spoken first said. "We'd like to take you somewhere." He had filthy red hair and a beard that just wasn't really a beard.

 

"Do we have a choice?" Stiles spoke, eyeing their nasty looking weapons. Next to him, Derek was already in an alert position, claws out and his eyes glowing blue.

 

"Not really." 

 

"Where are we going?" Stiles asked as he put a soothing hand on Derek's shoulder. Derek seemed to relax a bit at that, but he still didn't take his glare off the intruders.

 

"Peter Hale wants to speak to you." Another man now spoke, his voice much higher than the other one's.

 

"Ow." Stiles raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. "Good, cause I wanted to speak to him too." He then whispered to Derek. "Calm down.. We can probably take them, but right now they could lead us to Peter."

 

Derek nodded and retracted his claws.

 

"Stiles!" 

 

From behind them, the others had entered the alley, Isaac in front.

 

"What's going on?" Scott frowned as he watched the scene.

 

"Just in time!" Stiles smiled widely.

 

"These lovely fellows were just gonna take us to Peter."

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

"Holy fuck.." Stiles breathed. 

 

The thugs had led them through The Capitol, only to arrive at what seemed to be the richest part of the entire city. The house in front of him was roughly the size of a small town and Stiles couldn't imagine it belonging to one person.

 

"This is where Peter lives?" Scott gaped.

 

"It's not that impressive." Malia rolled her eyes childishly. When the others gave her an unimpressed look she averted her gaze.

 

"Get moving." The red haired brute snarled, his name they had learned, was Layn.

 

Layn apparently was on good terms with Peter, because he held the key to his house. 

 

They walked through an enormous hall and ended in an almost bigger room. A fire was roaring in the fireplace and a man was seated in front of it. A glass of gold liquor in his hand as his feet rested on a small table.

 

"Finally!" the man exclaimed as he stood up. "I've been waiting for you!" He smiled as he stepped closer, before looking at Derek. "Although I have to admit I didn't expect you Derek. Not that I don't like having my little nephew over." a smirk was on his face.

 

Derek tensed next to Stiles and Stiles could hear a soft growl from him.

 

"Layn!" Peter focused on his henchman. "Go get some food, I'd like to speak to them alone." 

 

Layn nodded and left the room alongside the others.

 

"Anyone want a drink?" Peter asked, gesturing to a table with glasses and a big bottle of whatever he was drinking on it.

 

"How did you know we were coming?" Stiles asked, ignoring his question.

 

"Well, as you might have noticed... I'm incredibly rich." Peter spoke as he refilled his own glass. "So rich even, that I can pay people to tell me things. And I love knowing things." He beamed proudly.

 

"So you've been spying on us." Lydia stated.

 

"Yes."

 

"Why?" Allison asked. Stiles noticed Malia being awfully silent as she stared at the floor.

 

"Because I can help you and your  _situation"_ He waved his hand towards Stiles. "And I will."

 

"Really?" Stiles asked, his eyebrows rose up. Nothing had been this easy so far. "Why?"

 

"Does there have to be a reason for me to help you? Maybe I'm just a nice person." Peter smiled, taking a sip from his drink.

 

"Bullshit!" Malia barked. "You're the most selfish person I know." She then turned to the others. "Don't trust him. I know he has an ulterior motive."

 

"Malia!" Peter snarled. "Can we leave our personal experiences out of this? We'll have a talk about our history later, but right now, just accept that I'm a changed person. And I'm going to help you. We'll leave as soon as you'd like."

 

"Leave where?" Scott frowned.

 

"The other book." Peter snorted, taking a step closer. when he got close to Stiles his nostril flared and he sniffed. He then raised both his eyebrows before looking between Stiles and Derek. Whatever he was thinking, he managed to shake it off and continued. "Kai'tan is one half. We're gonna get the other to bring balance to the world."

 

"Where is that?" Isaac asked.

 

"Za'er"

 

"No way!" Lydia countered. "Za'er is a myth. It's existence has never been proven."

 

"Neither has Kai'tan's" Peter replied. "Believe me, Za'er is real and I've been there."

 

"What the fuck is Za'er?!" Stiles spoke up. He didn't like when people talk about stuff he knew nothing about.

 

Lydia sighed.

 

"Za'er is said to have been an entire society completely underground." She explained. "But all we know about it are stories and legends.  We have no reason whatsoever to believe it actually exists."

 

"Not only was it underground.. It was also completely inhabited by mages. It was the magic capital of the world. Until a mysterious dark force corrupted the people. Za'er slowly crumbled into nothingness. But I have a certain suspicion on what that mysterious force was."

 

"The other book." Stiles whispered once he knew what Peter was hinting at. He didn't know why he whispered though.

 

"Exactly." Peter spoke softly, matching Stiles' energy. Then he lit up. "So, when did you want to go? I'm ready when you are."

 

"We kind of had a rough morning." Scott grimaced. "We were attacked on the Murky Lake. I wouldn't mind a good night sleep before going on the road again.." Isaac nodded in approval and Allison and Lydia seemed to agree as well.

 

"Of course!" Peter said. I'll get you something to eat and there's plenty of beds for you to rest. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

 

"We can go to an Inn!" Stiles offered, pretty uncomfortable with sleeping in this house.

 

"No what kind of a host would I be if I let you do that!" Peter replied. "You can rest here and that's that."

 

The group was honestly too tired to even complain, so Peter did as he promised. He disappeared into the kitchen for a couple of seconds, and about half an our later, everyone was sitting around a huge table enjoying a fantastic meal. Except for Peter and Malia.

 

When Peter had made a toast to 'Stiles and the salvation of the balance' and what not, Malia had whispered something in his ear and they'd both disappeared into some room. Stiles was burning with curiosity but he also knew it wasn't up to him.

 

Halfway during the meal Peter and Malia returned again. Malia looked pissed and Peter looked nonchalant as always. When Stiles decided he couldn't possibly have another bite, he asked Peter if he was allowed to take a bath. Thankfully Peter said yes.

 

Stiles then took the most delicious bath ever in his life.

 

After his bath, even though it was still pretty early, everybody was so tired, they decided to already go to bed. Peter assigned each of them their own room and they all had kingsized beds. The room was bigger than what Stiles was used to in Beacon Hills.

 

"Sleep tight. You're gonna need all your energy for Za'er." Peter smiled as Stiles closed his bedroom door. 

 

Peter was nice, no doubt about it. But something seemed off for Stiles. Maybe that was why Stiles couldn't sleep for hours.

 

It was already dark when the door softly opened. A dark silhouette entered. 

 

"Peter?" Stiles whispered. Way more scared than he'd like.

 

The person didn't say a word as he walked towards the bed. That's when Stiles recognized him.

 

"Derek?"

 

"Not a word." Derek simply spoke before lifting the covers and getting into the bed.

 

"What-"

 

"Not a word."

 

Stiles didn't know what happened but he kind of liked it, so he followed Derek's orders and didn't speak. That's how they fell asleep.

 

Next to each other.


	24. Chapter 24

Stiles was walking in one of the main streets of The Capitol. He'd decided to get some fresh air this morning because he'd woken up early. As his shoulder brushed someone else's, a hot tingling sensation started where he'd made contact.

 

He shook it off quickly and just kept on walking. Then he brushed someone walking the opposite direction. The same weird feeling hit him again, but this time it spread. He tried to ignored it as he walked on. Then he bumped into someone who'd stopped in front of him. 

 

He looked up for a moment to see the same hooded figure from the Inn staring at him with those cold blue eyes. Then he doubled over as the tingling sensation not only spread from his shoulder to his arms, but also erupted anew from his chest, now being burning and painful.

 

His eyes watered as he groaned, not wanting to start a scene. When he looked at the person again, it seemed like the pain had doubled. It seared through him, spreading like lava. 

 

It rushed to his fingers and his head. It felt like the heat had to escape his body somehow. When the pain in his fingertips increased even more Stiles threw his head up to cry out in agony. Except it wasn't a scream that came out. 

 

A huge ray of fire shot from his mouth. Thank the Gods he aimed up, or else he would've incinerated everyone around him. With the fire escaping his body, so did the pain. At least the pain in his head. His fingertips were still burning, but when he checked his hands to see if they were okay, his fingernails were replaced with long sharp claws,  his skin had started to grow red scales.

 

He gasped in surprise and stepped back. The person in front of him was now starting to take off their hood. Stiles watched anxiously, afraid to move a muscle. 

 

The person removed their hood but all Stiles could take in was a purple line across her left eye before pain consumed him again and his back felt like it was being ripped apart. He quickly turned around and ran as fast as he could with the agonizing pain.

 

The person who turned out to be a woman, didn't follow him, but all he could remember was the purple line crossing the pale blue eye, and a lock of bright blonde hair. As Stiles ran, he noticed his shadow was changing. People were making way for him. In fact, people were running away from him. They were scared of him. And when he saw the two giant wings growing out of his back in his shadow, he understood them.

 

His vision flashed red and he was stopped roughly by a fist in his face. He went flying to the ground and when he looked up, he was looking at a group of the King's guard. For the slightest moment, his mind flashed to Scott and how much he wanted to be a King's guard. But seeing them now, spears raised and aimed at him, he didn't like it one bit.

 

"What are you?!" One of the guards asked, a look of fright on his face.

 

Stiles wanted to answer, but his voice came out deep and thundering. Kai'tan's voice.

 

" _ **I am-"**_

 

He was interrupted when the guard's were startled at his voice. One of them threw a spear at him.

 

It hit him right in the heart.

 

-

 

Stiles woke up with a sharp scream. He tried to get out of bed as fast as possible but someone was holding him tightly.

 

"Stiles! Calm down!" Derek's voice blasted the reality back into Stiles' mind. He wasn't dying. He was just having a nightmare.

 

Stiles fell back onto the mattress. Derek immediately let go and Stiles suddenly felt very lonely.

 

"I had a nightmare." Stiles panted, not sure if Derek was even interested.

 

"I know." Derek replied simply, I heard your heartbeat."

 

Silence.

 

"Are you okay now?" Derek asked. Stiles was weirdly comforted by the Shapeshifter's concern.

 

"Not really." He replied truthfully. "It's Kai'tan. He's getting stronger I think. What if we don't get there in time? What if I'm gone soon?"

 

"You won't be." Derek stated matter of factly. "We're leaving for Za'er in a few hours and we'll find the other book-"

 

"Wait.." Stiles interrupted him. "You're coming with us? I thought you were just coming along because you needed to speak to Peter."

 

"I was." Derek nodded. "But you guys need me. You're going to get yourself killed and I don't want to be responsible for that."

 

"Wow." Stiles breathed.

 

After that, Derek got out of bed and left the room, leaving Stiles alone. He laid there for an hour trying to go back to sleep and failing. Then he got out of bed as well. 

 

Finding his way through the maze of halls and rooms wasn't an easy task, but eventually Stiles found himself around a big table where everyone was having breakfast. They'd decided not to wake him up yet to give him some rest.

 

Malia was obviously doing her best to stay as far away from Peter as she could possible be around the table. Scott was laughing at something Isaac said, Isaac himself was smiling. Lydia and Allison sat next to Peter, discussing something. Derek sat next to Malia but they didn't talk.

 

Stiles sat down next to Scott and Isaac. They greeted him with a smile and Stiles helped himself to some bread and milk.

 

Suddenly, Peter stood up.

 

"Well.. Seeing as we're all complete, I'll give you the plan." He smiled. "First, we're gonna be traveling to The Draught."

 

"The Draught?" Scott frowned. "As in the desert?" 

 

"Yes." Peter nodded.

 

"But that's halfway around the world." Isaac spoke. "No way we're gonna make it in time."

 

"You should've let me finish." Peter sighed. "I've arranged with a powerful mage. She's a good friend of mine and she has the ability to create portals. She'll make us one to The Draught and we'll be there within seconds. Once we're there, we're going to contact Kai'tan through Stiles and he will lead us to Za'er. Clear?"

 

"Clear." They all grunted.

 

"How are we gonna contact Kai'tan?" Stiles asked. "It's not like he likes me or something."

 

"He'll feel the presence of his counterpart." Peter explained. "He'll want to get closer."

 

"Okay." Stiles nodded. This actually sounded like it might work. The first realization that what he was doing might actually have purpose.

 

"So grab your stuff." Peter grinned. "Jennifer will be here within the hour."

 

A childish sense of adventure washed over Stiles as everyone left the table to grab their things. Unfortunately, they didn't have much stuff to begin with. Their departure from Beacon Hills being a bit impromptu. 

 

That being said, Stiles still grabbed his backpack filled with a little food they got from the Elves. 

 

They met up in the entrance hall. Scott had his backpack and sword. Allison had her bow. Kira her katana and Malia had two daggers hanging at her hips. Peter wasn't carrying a weapon. Stiles wondered why that was but he didn't ask about it.

 

They didn't have to wait long for a knock on the door to sound. Peter opened it and in came a beautiful woman. Long black hair waved behind her as she entered, a long black dress accentuating her figure.

 

"Hello. My name is Jennifer Blake." She smiled. "I'll be transporting you to The Draught."

 

The group smiled back and thanked her, but they were all eager to continue, so without further ado they stepped back, giving Jennifer some space. 

 

Stiles had never seen a portal so he was incredibly curious to what would happen.

 

Jennifer closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She then made a fist and punched the air. Her fist seemed to disappear and when she pulled her arm back, a small pitch black hole was suspended in mid air. Her fist came out of the hole and she stepped closer. She put both her hands on the edges of the hole and pulled. The blackness gave in and the hole grew in size. When it was roughly the size of a person she stepped back, eyeing her creation.

 

She then turned to the group.

 

"Well? What are you waiting for?" She asked.

 

All of Stiles' excitement vanished at the sudden idea that this might be a trap. Was he really going to step inside an eerie looking opening to another place he didn't even know?

 

He didn't have time to second guess because Lydia had already roller her eyes and stepped through the portal. She immediately disappeared from sight. Allison followed and then Malia. Isaac and Derek went immediately after.

 

Kira turned around, her eyes lighting the same hesitation Stiles was feeling, but then she nodded and stepped through. Peter went after her.

 

"This is it buddy." Scott gave Stiles a lopsided grin and then stepped through.

 

Stiles took a deep breath and took a step. A sense of intense cold cloaked him.

 

He couldn't see anything


	25. Chapter 25

The difference of temperature hit Stiles like a brick wall. From the icy cold, he stepped into what felt like an oven. A wave of hot air filled his lungs as he took a breath. It felt like his insides were on fire.

 

He coughed a couple of times and then squinted. The sun was shining brightly.

 

"What time is it?" Was the first thing Stiles asked, his voice raspy and dry. The first thing he had noticed was how high the sun was.

 

"Around noon." Peter spoke, he seemed to already be used to The Draught.

 

"But we just stepped through the portal?" Stiles squinted, both out of confusion and the harsh sunlight. "How could we've been gone for hours?"

 

"We've traveled through the void." Peter replied. "Time moves differently there."

 

"The void?!" Lydia snapped. "You sent us through the void? You do realize that everything that wants to kill us, is connected through the void?! The void is our enemy Peter!" She stepped closer to him.

 

"You're alive right now." He shrugged simply.

 

"Why didn't you tell us?" Scott asked, looking very annoyed.

 

"Would you have stepped through if I'd told you?"

 

"No." Scott shook his head.

 

"That's why." Peter smirked. "Oh and by the way." He turned to Stiles, "We've been gone for three weeks. We've traveled as long as we would've in this world."

 

Stiles blinked at that revelation.

 

"Why can't I remember it?"

 

"Jennifer but you in a trance. Would you have wanted to be traveling for weeks when you could just as easily be there within seconds?"

 

"I guess not."

 

"You guys have to learn to trust me." He spoke and then turned around.

 

"Stiles." Allison spoke softly. "You need to awaken Kai'tan."

 

Fuck. 

 

Stiles really wasn't looking forward to Kai'tan. He'd made it very clear that he wasn't very fond of the boy. The only time he'd be of any help, was if they were both in danger.

 

Stiles nodded at Allison, though he wasn't sure if he was gonna manage.

 

 _"Kaitan?"_ He thought.  _"We need your help."_

 

The dragon didn't respond.

 

_"Kai'tan, please!"_

 

Still nothing. He didn't even feel Kai'tan stir.

 

"You guys have to attack me." He opened his eyes. He'd closed them in concentration. Scott looked at him as if he'd grown three extra heads. "I need you to attack me for real." Stiles nodded, a sly smile on his face.

 

"Stiles." Scott sighed. "I'm not gonna-"

 

"You have to!" Stiles interrupted. "It's the only way to get Kai'tan to react. He doesn't like being in danger so he gets out to help me. Draw your sword.

 

Scott did as he was told, although he did it incredibly reluctantly.

 

"Now stab me!" Stiles exclaimed. The grin on his face completely mismatched his intention.

 

Scott raised his sword, grimacing. "Are you sure?"

 

"Yes!"

 

"Really?"

 

"Really!" 

 

"Really really?"

 

"For fuck's sake Scott just do it already!" Stiles snapped.

 

Scott raised his sword even higher, then he slashed down, aiming right for Stiles' head.

 

Nothing happened and for a split second, Stiles thought he would die there. Under the sword of his best friend. the sword of his brother, but then Scott stopped. not even an inch of space between his sword and Stiles head.

 

Stiles had squeezed his eyes shut and slowly opened them. Scott was standing there looking incredibly uncomfortable. Behind him Derek was looking at the both of them with an unreadable expression on his face. His fists balled on his sides.

 

"You stopped!" Stiles frowned. "You have to mean it. Kill me!"

 

"I can't dude" Scott groaned.

 

"Remember when I said your mom was pretty hot for a mom?" Stiles said, addressing a topic they'd both decided to never talk about.

 

"Yeah." Scott said, an angry look seeping on his face.

 

"Now kill me."

 

"I'm not gonna kill you over something you said about my mother."

 

"But she's hot."

 

"DUDE!"

 

"Kill me then!" Stiles tried desperately. 

 

Suddenly a snap was heard and something was shooting at Stiles' face. Without his consent, Stiles' arm shot up, from his shoulder down, totally encased in a gold aura shaped like a scaled arm, with claws for nails. It was Kai'tan's arm.

 

It caught the arrow shooting at him a millisecond before it hit target. A thin gold damp coming off the aura. Stiles watched over his arm and saw Malia standing. She was holding Allison's bow and looked smug.

 

"I knew that'd work." She smirked as she passed the bow back to Allison. Derek looked positively livid. Stiles was almost scared that Derek would maul Malia right then and there. 

 

But right now he had other things to focus on. 

 

Kai'tan was awake, so he would hear them.

 

" _Kai'tan, We're close to the other book and we need your help finding it. Could you-"_

 

_-_

 

_Stiles wasn't in The Draught anymore. He was on the ground, surrounded by smoke and shattered trees. A thunderstorm was raging. He got up, his body felt weird. Way bigger but not as heavy as you would think. It felt kind of awkward. When he got up he leaped. He wasn't in control of his own body. Or was it his own body?_

 

_He didn't land on the ground once he jumped, instead he soared up. He was flying. He was Kai'tan._

 

_He looked down and saw something huge and black dash through the forest beneath him. Destroying the trees in it's way. Then a blast of fire came from the black figure. Kai'tan managed to swerve to the right and he dodged the fire._

 

_He opened his mouth and a beam of pure light shot out of it. It seemed to hit the black thing a cloud of smoke rose from the forest. For a moment there was nothing, and then two black wings emerged from the smoke. A deep purple on the inside. They flapped twice and the smoke was blown away._

 

_The dark dragon shot up so fast that Kai'tan couldn't actually get a clear view, but he got a pair of giant fangs in his neck. He roared in pain as they both plummeted to the ground._

 

_They crashed into the ground, creating a giant crater. Then on the edge of the crater, a large circle of people appeared. In the middle of the north side of the circle, there was a man holding a black book. In the middle of the southern side, there was a woman holding another book._

 

_Kai'tan recognized that woman. No. STILES recognized that woman._

 

_It was his mother._

 

_The circle started chanting something while the dragons were still wrestling with each other. It seemed like the dark dragon hadn't even noticed them. Then the book started emitting an intensely bright light. Kai'tan knew what was happening and he didn't like it._

 

_He bit down on the other dragon's neck and when that dragon writhed in pain, Kai'tan managed to escape and fly away. But when he was almost 100 feet above ground, a strange pull stopped him._

 

_His body was paralyzed and he couldn't move as he hovered midair. Then he was pulled down. He couldn't look back but he knew their spell had worked. He was slowly losing his power and he felt himself growing weaker. Within seconds he was enveloped in white energy._

 

_He felt his shape get distorted and his insides change. It felt horrible, his entire being was being rewritten. Then he couldn't see anything._

 

_Stiles' mind then moved out of Kai'tan and he could see his mother close a book and hand it to one of the other mages. The other book was handed to someone on a horse._

 

_The next thing Stiles saw was an incredible stone hall. The light seemed unnatural but not unpleasant. The messenger who'd received the book was walking down the hall into a series of heavily guarded rooms. Then he placed the book on a pedestal. The door closed, enveloping the room in darkness._

 

_-_

 

STILES WAKE UP!" 

 

Stiles' eyes shut open and the bright sunlight made them water.

 

"What's going on?!" He asked, scared of the tone in Scott's voice and the fact that he couldn't move his legs.

 

"You started running somewhere." Scott said. Stiles now noticed that Scott was up until his hips in sand, and he was still sinking. "We followed you and then you stopped. We thought you'd woken up but now we're all in quicksand and we don't have much longer." He sounded desperate. You weren't waking up."

 

Stiles looked around and noticed that everyone was trying desperately to climb out of the quicksand, but the more they struggled, the faster they sank. Stiles was now up to his bellybutton and it seemed like he was descending faster and faster.

 

"I don't know what's happening." Stiles admitted. A slight claustrophobia seeped into his bones as the sand was now up to his chest. His heart broke when he saw Isaac. Tears were in his eyes and he was sweating.

 

Isaac's face was contorted in his half wolf form and he was clawing at the sand, hoping to stop it but failing. Stiles noticed Scott's eyes were watering too at the sight of the Shapeshifter.

 

"I think this is it." Scott whispered.

 

The sand was now to their chins, Stiles lifted his head to gain some more time."

 

"Whatever happens.." Stiles spoke softly, his own eyes watering now. "I love you, man." A single tear fell down. "And I'm sorry I dragged you into this shitty adventure."

 

"I love you too." Scott spoke. "If I have to die, I'm glad it's surrounded by frien-"

 

Scott's last words were blocked out by thick sand encasing Stiles' head. He couldn't hear anything, he couldn't see anything. He couldn't breathe and it was dark. 

 

So dark.

 

So dark.


	26. Chapter 26

Stiles was cold. Incredibly cold, and the darkness around him was asphyxiating. But just as he was bracing himself for death. He fell.

 

The sand around him disappeared and he plummeted into darkness. He couldn't see a thing. He didn't know how long he was falling. All he knew that, the longer he fell, the weaker he felt.

 

He landed on his back and it probably should hurt more considering the time he spent falling down. But he stood up relatively pain free. He looked around and total darkness was all that enveloped him.

 

A sense of dread filled him. He was alone, but if he got here through the quicksand, where were his friends? They were only a few feet away from him. Right? He held out his hand and a small flame appeared. The fact that it was harder to summon didn't go unnoticed. The flame lit up his environment just enough so he could see the walls next to him, they were a lot closer than he would've liked. It felt like they were creeping up on him.

 

The hall went two ways and Stiles didn't think staying in place would be very useful, so he took a wild guess and walked one way. He barely turned the first corner when he bumped into something. 

 

Stiles held in an embarrassing shriek as he flailed around, backing away. He was interrupted when Kira stepped forward into his light and he recognized her. After he recovered he tackled her in a hug, relieved to see she was alive. This must mean the others are alive as well.

 

"Stiles! You scared me!" She said, nodding to her drawn katana. "I could've killed you."

 

"Well, I'm glad you didn't." Stiles grinned. "Where are the others?" He asked, looking over Kira's shoulders to see if the others were following her.

 

"I don't know." She frowned. "I thought I was the only one separated by accident."

 

"Shit." Stiles cursed. "We have to find them. Do you know where we are?"

 

"No idea." Kira shook her head. "It looks like some sort of underground maze and I don't like it."

 

"Me neither." Stiles nodded.

 

"Let's go find them.. I don't like it here. I feel muzzled or something." Kira shivered, but Stiles knew exactly what she meant. It was like some sort of heavy cloak had wrapped around him.

 

 "Which way?" Stiles asked.

 

"That way was a dead end." Kira spoke, nodding to the tunnel she came from. "Let's try your way."

 

Stiles nodded and they both took off. Now that he wasn't alone anymore he didn't feel as scared as he did, but he still felt extremely uncomfortable in the cold darkness that was swirling around their dim light.

 

"It's actually good that I get to talk to you alone for a minute." Kira suddenly spoke, breaking a tense silence. "Because I think I have something for you. I was afraid to tell you earlier because I wasn't sure I could do it, but now I think I can manage."

 

"Manage what?" Stiles asked, slightly intrigued by the sudden change of mood.

 

"Open your hand!" Kira said and in the soft warm light he could see her grin childishly. Stiles obeyed and Kira gently placed something small and round in his hand, about the size of a walnut.

 

"What's this?" He frowned.

 

"You'll see!" She spoke impatiently. "Whisper something to it, something secret. Something only you know."

 

Stiles frowned at her and then at the small whatever-it-was in his hand. But it wasn't like he hadn't already done some weird shit the last couple of weeks. He brought his hand to his mouth and whispered as soft as he could.

 

Kira watching with glee shining in her eyes.

 

"What did you whisper?" She asked once he lowered his hand again.

 

"My real name." Stiles shrugged. "The only people who know are Scott and my Dad, and if this is all a secret, I wouldn't keep it from them." He smiled at the thought of his father and best friend.

 

"That's nice." Kira smiled. Then she drew her Katana and held it over Stiles' hand.

 

"Kira, what are you doing?" Stiles asked.

 

Kira didn't respond but instead, fast as lightning, took the object from Stiles' open hand, made a small cut with her katana and then placed the object back into the palm, then closed it.

 

"Kira what the fuck!?"

 

"Trust me!" She nodded. Then, as if on cue, the object started growing in Stiles' hand.

 

"It's a Krallya seed." Kira explained as the seed grew even bigger. It now fit perfectly in Stiles' hand. Then it only grew in the length.

 

"My mother said all great mages should have one, and I have yet to meet a greater mage than you, Stiles." She smiled as Stiles watched the growing seed in awe. Could it be?

 

"I honestly don't think I deserve it!" Stiles tried to hand it back to her but she stepped back.

 

"Don't put negative energy into it. This is a positive moment! Negativity might corrupt your bond."

 

Stiles was speechless as the growing stopped and something in his mind changed. Like a gateway between him and the Krallya seed. But it wasn't a seed anymore. It's a staff. It looked like a long bland stick. Like it could've been gathered from the woods, but it didn't feel like that. It felt pulsing. It felt amazing.

 

"It's supposed to help channel the magic energy. If you cast it through the staff, it will be more focused and less exhausting." She spoke, not hiding the childish excitement in her voice.

 

"I can't believe you made this." Was the first thing Stiles said.

 

"Me neither!" Kira shrieked as she jumped up and down. "Test it!" She ordered.

 

Stiles nodded. He diminished the small flame currently floating above them, coating them both in darkness. Then he casted the same spell, but this time in his right hand. He felt the magic surge into the staff and floating just above the top of his staff was a bright ball of fire. Infinitely brighter than the previous one, and it didn't take much of Stiles' energy.

 

"Amazing." He breathed.

 

"It is." Kira added."What are you gonna name it?"

 

"Name it?"

 

"All staffs have names. At least they should."

 

"Hmm.." Stiles looked at his staff thoughtfully. "I don't know yet. I'll think about it."

 

"That's okay." Kira smiled. "But now we've got this done, let's find the others."

 

Stiles nodded and they started walking again, a lot more comfortable because of the bright flame.

 

They walked for what felt like an hour before they heard a single sound.  Footsteps.

 

"Hello?" Stiles called out, though Kira jabbed him with her elbow.

 

"You can't just yell hello in some underground catacomb!" She hissed you don't know what's in here!"

 

But a voice called back.

 

"Stiles?"

 

"Yes I do!" Stiles told Kira.

 

"That's Derek!"


	27. Chapter 27

Stiles was about to decide whether he should kiss Derek or just show him a manly nod when Derek punched him in the shoulder. Hard.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"Wha-?"

"We traveled halfway around the world only to sink in quicksand so please tell me you have any idea where we are or I will rip your throat out, with my teeth." He snarled as if to prove it.

"I don't know!" Stiles exclaimed. "Kai'tan showed me something and it led me here, so I think this must be Za'er."

"Correct." Peter's voice sounded from everywhere at once. Then a sphere of light rounded the corner with Malia beneath it. She was accompanied by Peter and the rest. They looked relieved to have found the others.

"We are in the labyrinth leading to the entrance of Za'er. From here on, it will only be a few hours until we reach our destination. Then we get the book, restore the balance, and with a little luck we'll be back for dinner."

"I doubt it." Isaac mumbled.

"He's right." Lydia spoke. "Nothing has been that simple so far."

"Then maybe now, it will be." Peter smiled. "Follow me." He turned around and walked, seemingly knowing where to go.

"Nice stick." Scott said when he walked next to Stiles. "Gonna pummel the Void to death?" He laughed.

"Shut up." Stiles scoffed. "Kira made this for me, it's a staff and it's really helpful, see?" He made an orb of light again. Scott looked on in awe. Then Stiles brought his staff down and hit Scott on the head. "That is for calling it a stick."

"Fuck- Sorry." Scott grimaced as he rubbed his head.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Kira asked.

"As I've told you, I've been here before." Peter sighed. "When will you stop doubting me all the time."

"Why were you here?" Stiles asked.

"I made a bet I could enter Za'er."

"Did you win?" 

"No."

"Then why are we following you?" 

"Because you need a mage to enter, and we've got two of them right here with us."

They walked for hours, Peter never stopped when the road forked, just knew where to go in an instant. When he paused slightly longer than usual, he just sniffed the air and chose. Until eventually, they reached a small door, not bigger than a large man. In the middle was the carving of a hand, with on each finger a rune, except for the thumb. 

"The elements." Peter spoke. "Wield the four elements that make magic and enter."

They all looked at Stiles.

"Why are you looking at me? Malia has more control than I have, why shouldn't she do it?"

"It seems right if you do it." Lydia said.

"Yeah." Scott piped up. "Being possessed by an ancient dragon of light and all."

"For Light's sake." Stiles cried as he walked up to the stone hand. He placed his in it and closed his eyes. Focusing on the tips of his fingers. He had learned from Deaton that each finger was assigned an element when you wielded magic. Water was the index finger, fire the middle. The ring finger was for earth and the pinky was for air. He drew every element to his fingers and pushed them out of his body. The stone hand pulled back into the door. It looked as if it started living. The fingers spread even further, shooting rays of light through the door, which seemed to disappear entirely. Leaving a screen of light in it's wake.

"This is it people." Peter announced. "The entrance to Za'er."

"Let's just get the blighted book and get out of here." Malia spoke. then she went through the light. Everyone seemed eager to follow, leaving Stiles alone in the dark hallway, his only light the one above his staff.

He felt a prickle in his neck, as if somebody was watching him. He turned around and saw nothing. Sighing he stepped through the light.

Into Za'er.

 

 

\---

Sorry this took so long hooooly shit! But here it is! 

 

 

 


	28. Chapter 28

Za'er was the most beautiful place Stiles had ever seen. Or it would have been.

They were standing on what looked like a cliff. A staircase that seemed made of stone by nature itself snaked it's way down. From somewhere beneath them, a river sprouted. It's water was probably once clear, but now it was murky and filthy looking. The river flowed through an enourmous cavern that must've been multiple miles long and wide, and a few hundred feet high.

The river flowed down the cliff and then across the ground of the cave for a few hundred meters. There it flowed uphill, fighting gravity with what seemed to be no effort at all. 

The hill where the river flowed was filled with oddly shaped buildings made out of stone as well. The higher up the hill, the bigger and more odd the buildings became. The walls of Za'er were covered in pale grey stone, sporadically interrupted by huge glistening multicolored crystals, reflecting the light from Malia's light orb in bright and vivid colors.

Yes it should be beautiful. But something felt wrong. The air was thick, and even though Malia's light was bright enough to illuminate the entire city, it still looked grim, and darker than it should be.

"It's beautiful." Scott whispered.

"It feels wrong." Malia frowned. Expressing Stiles' thoughts.

"Smells wrong too." Derek stated.

"That would be the Corruption of Za'er." Peter nodded. "A shame really. This was once the mightiest of cities. It held The Great Council, which decided on everything of importance."

"It was a mistake, bringing the other book here." Stiles said as he looked down at the once magnificent city. "They sealed their own fate."

"They took it upon themselves." Peter spoke. "If they hadn't kept the corruption within these warded walls, what do you think would've happened?"

"It would've spread." Isaac said.

"Like a virus." 

"Well then." Stiles said, smiling a completely fake smile. "Enough with the positivity. Let's go get that book!" He stepped down the first step of the stone staircase. His staff in front of him in case the stone had eroded over time.

They made their way down the stairs. When they were down Stiles noticed a crunching sound beneath his feet with every step he took. He looked down to see dead leaves and grass. It had grown out of the stone itself.

"Za'er was once green." Peter explained when he saw Stiles look at the ground in confusion. "They tended their gardens with magic and care. Until the Corruption spread." 

"What was the Corruption exactly?" Isaac asked. "Was it a sickness?"

"Not exactly." Peter said.

"But it killed people." Lydia countered, looking ahead. "I can feel it."

"The Corruption wasn't necessarily a sickness of the body." Peter replied. "It was a sickness of the mind. It made people paranoid, and scared. Until they trusted nobody, not even their kin. Soon things like gardens and beauty weren't as important anymore. People were assassinated, alliances were forged and broken. It was every man for himself. A slow battle royal. Sure the corruption ruined Za'er. But Za'er destroyed itself."

They walked on in silence for a while, getting closer to the hillside with every step. Every once in a while Stiles thought he saw a decayed corpse lying on the ground in the corner of his eye, but when he did, he purposefully didn't look that way.

"You can feel it too, can't you?" 

Stiles hadn't even heard Derek walk up to him.

"Yes, this place is tainted." Stiles answered. "And I'm not exactly sensitive to this kind of stuff."

"I want to get out of here as soon as we can." Derek said.

"You can leave if you want." Stiles shrugged.

"I won't." Derek replied shortly.

"Why not?" Stiles asked. Derek said nothing, just looked Stiles in the eye, as if looking for something. Stiles felt himself get nervous under the hard stare of those hazel eyes.

"About what happened in The Capital-"

"Nothing happened in The Capital." Derek grubbed.

"Come on." Stiles whined. "This is not the time to do your grumpy shapeshifter thing."

Derek stopped in his tracks. He looked at Stiles sternly, but the twitching of his mouth and the glint in his eyes told Stiles he was amused.

"A grumpy shapeshifter thing?" He asked.

"Yes!" Stiles exclaimed. "You know, the broody tough guy act. Listen, we kissed and you weren't exactly against it, but after that, you never even brought it up. Did I dream it or something?"

"You didn't bring it up either." Derek shrugged and started walking again. Stiles following him.

"Because you are an intimidating person." 

Derek shrugged again.

"What are we?" Stiles asked, hating how awfully corny that sounded.

"Stiles." Derek sighed and he stopped again. "Right now we're underground in an abandoned magic city that was destroyed by the vile corruption of an evil book holding the soul to an ancient dragon herald of evil, we have limited time before an ancient dragon herald of light consumes you completely until you're gone and your body is nothing but a vessel. I don't think we have the privilege to work out exactly what we are." 

He started walking again, leaving Stiles with his mouth open for a second.

"Does that mean you're into me?" He tried.

"It means I-"

Stiles couldn't hear anymore. The two fiery pits of Kai'tans eyes opened in his mind.

**"We're close. I can feel Shiuren."**

"Who is Shiuren?" Stiles asked out loud.

"What?" Derek frowned.

**"The other tome."**

"Oh the dark dragon." Stiles said.

"Stiles what are you talking about?" Derek asked.

"Kai'tan woke up." Stiles shrugged.

**"I can feel him taunting me."**

"Yeah we'll get the fucker." Stiles nodded.

**"What is a fucker?"**

"Long story." Stiles muttered. Before addressing the group. "Guys, Kai'tan says we're close. The mean dragon is called Shiuren."

A dull sense of dread shot through Stiles' mind, and judging from the reactions, he wasn't the only one.

 **"Fool! Speaking his name aloud this close."**  

"Well, sorry I'm not well educated into ancient dragon etiquette." Stiles snorted.

"Dude, you're my best friend and all, but it's weird seeing you talk to yourself. It's like you've gone mad." Scott grimaced apologetically.

"Sorry." Stiles shrugged.

"Kai'tan, where is it?" 

**"At the end of this road is a door. Open it and you will find the tome."**

"Straight ahead guys. There's supposed to be a door."

"Then it's time." Peter spoke softly. "Kira, my dear. Can you hand me your blade?"

Stiles suddenly felt the prickle at the back of his neck again. He turned around but there was nobody there.

Kira slowly handed Peter her katana. He eyed it carefully, moving it in his hands as if weighing it. Learning how it felt in his hands. Then, sharp like a viper, he pushed the shiny blade through Malia's chest. She gasped as she stared at Peter, a little blood dripping out of her mouth. Then as the life left her, the glowing orb disappeared, leaving them all in complete darkness.

Stiles heard swords being unsheathed and Derek growling. He himself grabbed his staff with both hands. Realizing he could make a light as well he did. He shot a ball of light out of his staff. It confused everyone but when the light settled he could see Peter, wiping Malia's blood off the katana with his coat. Next to him stood Jennifer Blake and on the other side, to Stiles shock. The woman from The Capital. with the purple line across her eye and the blonde hair. 

With her hood down Stiles could finally see what she looked like, and like last time, he felt sick the moment he laid eyes on her. As if there was something wrong about her, something vile. 

Purple runes and symbols were scattered all over her face, and from what he could see, her hands. It wouldn't surprise him if she had those marks all over her body. 

"What have you done?!" Derek growled as he looked from Malia to Peter.

"I'm afraid my daughter was right all along. I do have ulterior motives, and I'm pulling the strings as we speak." Peter spoke.

"What- Who are you?" Stiles asked the mysterious branded woman.

She held out her hands. An orb of pure darkness formed between her palms. One of the symbols on her hands started to glow She then pulled her hands away and the orb grew. Then out of the orb, a person came. A cultist. then another, then another.

Cultist after cultist appeared from the orb until the group was surrounded.

"My name is Nioru." She spoke in a clear voice. 

"And I have been chosen by my God, to carry the Herald of Void."

 

 


	29. Chapter 29

They were surrounded by about thirty Cultists, but all Stiles could look at, was Nioru. Her pale skin covered in hundreds of small purple runes, some even overlapping. She looked directly at Stiles and he started to wonder if she had even blinked since she appeared.

Malia's body lay in front of the group, between them and Peter, who wore a nasty smirk.

"She didn't deserve that!" Allison shouted. Stiles was surprised that Allison was defending Malia, after all she didn't seem to like her all that much. But then again, she probably wouldn't wish her dead. "She was-"

"She was my daughter. I'm well aware of that." Peter nodded. "Doesn't mean I have to like her."

"So this is it?" Stiles asked. "You took us all the way here to betray us so you could get the tome? What's your plan now? Rule the world as the servant of the Void? Is that really the life you want?"

"I will get wealth." Peter smirked. "My own city. I think I've had a fair deal so far-"

"Enough!" Nioru cut him off. Even as she raised her voice it sounded eerily calm. "Let's get this over with." She pulled her hands out of her robe and opened them. At first there was nothing in them, but then very quickly a small wisp of purple smoke appeared, when it blew off, she held two daggers, one in each hand.

Stiles heard Allison drawing her bow and he knew she was aiming right at Nioru's head. He was praying she'd shoot already. He didn't know anything about this woman, but something about her seemed wrong. As if her very existence wasn't meant to be. And she seemed powerful.

He heard Derek whisper something, then Allison shot. The arrow shot past Stiles' head and headed right for Nioru's face. But just before it hit, she disappeared in a cloud of the same smoke that produced the daggers. The arrow clattered on the ground somewhere in the distance.

Stiles turned around just in time to see smoke explode behind him. Nioru jumped out of the cloud at Stiles, ready to slice his throat. She didn't anticipate Derek tackling her from behind. They both fell to the ground and chaos ensued. 

The first thing Stiles did was send a burst of air at Peter who stumbled backwards. He then used air to pull the Katana away from him. It flew through the air and somehow Kira managed to jump and catch it midair. 

A ball of void energy shot at Stiles and he jumped away from it, praying it wouldn't hit anyone else, and from the ongoing sound of metal clashing it didn't. Some cultists had dashed forward with swords, now taking on Scott and Kira. Isaac and Allison were in front of Lydia, shielding her. Allison shooting arrows as fast as she could and Isaac clawing at anyone who got too close.

Stiles summoned a ball of fire and shot it at the closest figure. It hit him in the chest and he ran to the river, jumping in it to extinguish the fire burning his robe and torso. 

The sound of metal shattering sounded and Stiles saw Scott's sword was gone. Only the hilt was left to hold and some cultist had his hand where the blade should have been, a dark shimmering around his hand. Scott stepped back defenseless.

Stiles quickly pulled a small stream of water from the river and sent it flying at Scott. It flew against the hilt and stretched from there. When it was long enough Stiles froze it. Creating a sharp blade made of ice attached to the original hilt. Scott looked on in amazement but quickly recovered and thrust the sword through the unsuspecting cultist chest. He convulsed and fell down to the ground in a lifeless heap. 

An arm grabbed Stiles by the throat and started squeezing. Stiles tried to resist by smacking his arms backwards, but though he certainly made contact, his attacker didn't budge. The arm started to emit a black aura and pain spread through Stiles' body starting from the neck. Then an arrow shot past his head and he heard a wet sound. The dark glow disappeared, as did the pain. As if it was never there, only the memory of it remained. 

Nioru sped past Stiles at Allison, a dagger held firmly in her hand. But if Nioru wasn't busy yet. Where was- A cold feeling exploded in Stiles' gut as he looked around to  find Derek. Praying to the Gods he wasn't on the ground bleeding to death. 

He found Derek on the ground. His eyes wide open. Stiles' scrambled to his knees next to Derek. He was breathing. But it was hoarsely. 

"Derek, what did she do?!" Stiles asked frantically, looking for blood. 

"Don't worry about me." Derek hissed through gritted teeth. "She paralyzed. I'll be alright."

The thought of Nioru doing anything to Derek made Stiles vivid. Suddenly his vision turned red and two flaming eyes shot open in his mind. Without thinking he slammed his staff on the ground and a shockwave of light emitted from it. It pushed all the cultists away as if it were a marble wall. Nioru was blasted back as well. But his friends remained where they were. 

Stiles panted. Kai'tan had interfered just now, but Stiles was back in control. His staff was placed firmly on the ground. A spherical forcefield of light was keeping the cultists and Nioru out. 

Allison was getting to her feet, Stiles hadn't seen her falling down. Kira panted and a small scratch on her cheek left a stripe of blood down her face. Scott looked around astonished, his frozen sword was slowly melting, the drops landing on the ground the only sound along with their heavy breaths. Lydia looked as if nothing happened to her, except for her ruffled hair. Isaac's clothes however, were all torn, and small cuts all over his body were healing, but leaving patches of blood. 

"Your bond with the dragon is stronger than we suspected." Nioru stated matter of factly. She didn't look surprised, or disappointed. "I guess this way will be more fun." She suddenly smirked. The first expression Stiles had ever seen her make. "I'm looking forward to facing you once I've let my Herald in."  She dashed into a sprint, away from the group. The cultists ran after her, including Peter.

"She's going for the book!" Lydia shouted. That was all it took for Stiles to run after them, not knowing what to do when he caught up with them. As soon as he parted his staff from the ground, the light around them disappeared. From the corner of his eye he could see Derek running after him, albeit a bit stiff. He didn't know if the aura of light had done that, or the spell just didn't last that long.

An arrow shot from behind him and it hit one of the cultists in the back. He fell down. How could he be so stupid to forget to attack. He launched a ball of fire himself but due to his wobbly aim it missed. He then swiped his staff to the left and a great wave of water erupted from the river and hit the cultists. Most of them remained standing but two or three were pushed off balance and fell down. Stiles jumped over them as if they weren't really there. But sounds from behind him told him that Scott and Kira's blades made quick work of them. 

They ran through buildings and what used to be gardens. The dead plants crunching beneath their feet. Stiles tried to knock more cultists out but they ran away from the river and his aim wasn't good enough to hit them. Allison shot another arrow and hit one of them in the ankle. He fell down with a cry and Stiles made an act of accidentally hitting him in the head with his staff. 

The cultists started fighting back though. Sending black humming orbs flying over their shoulders. Stiles dodged one but didn't hear it land. Then another one came. Stiles barely had time to pull a chunk of rock up from the ground to guard him. The orb made no sound on impact, but the rock floating in front of a running Stiles turned pitch black and crumbled within seconds after being hit. Whatever this Void magic was, it wasn't good.

Over the heads of cultists, Stiles saw two giant gates, reaching all the way to the roof of Za'er. If you could call it a roof. He heard a loud explosion and saw smoke coming from in front of him. The gate came closer and closer, until he was standing in front of it.

Nioru had blasted a hole in it, big enough for a large man to run through. Stiles looked behind for a second to see if his friends were still following him. When he saw that they did, he stepped through the gate. 

 **"I can feel him."** "Kai'tan hummed through Stiles' very soul. But Stiles understood. He could feel it too. If he though the city of Za'er itself was weighed down with a vile darkness, this room was about to be squished. The air felt so heavy he almost couldn't breathe. 

The large circular room was filled with people. Stiles' friends closing in behind him, but everyone was staring at the same thing. Everybody had stopped moving. The room was completely too silent. Almost too silent. As if being in here too long could drive a person mad. The only sound that was heard, was a heavy heartbeat. But it felt as if it belonged there. It still felt silent.

Even Nioru was standing a few feet in front of a pedestal. On the pedestal was an incredibly old book. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from the sides of it. 

"Shiuren" Stiles whispered to himself at the same time Kai'tan did. Behind him Scott touched his shoulder.

"Is that it?" He asked.

Stiles nodded, even though the question was a stupid one, he understood Scott. Though the book was impressive and unusual, it didn't look like it could house an ancient dragon of void.

"Finally!" Nioru breathed. She slowly stepped forward. Her arms raised as if she almost expected some sort of invisible barrier to hold her back.

Stiles was about to do something when everyone in the room blasted away from the center. As if an invisible force pushed them away. Stiles landed with his back against the wall to the left of the pedestal. Scott was next to him, across the room he saw Derek and the rest. Looking around to see what happened. 

It wasn't Nioru, It couldn't have been. She was against the wall as well. Looking livid. Stiles felt a bit strange, lying only a few feet away from cultists and not having to fight for his life. Yet.

Then from the hole in the gate a figure entered. She calmly walked through the path created by the earlier path. She stood in front of the pedestal for a second then turned around to face the onlookers. 

It was Malia. 

A purple rune that looked like it could have been Nioru's rested in the middle of Malia's forehead. The purple glowing but slowly fading. It looked like a triangle in which the two bottom lines were drawn further, creating a sharp V shape atop it. 

She held out her hand and Scott's frozen sword came flying towards it. She caught it without effort. Stiles was at a loss for words. There Malia was. A giant bloodstain still in the front of her coat which was ripped open by blade. A purple crystal hanging from a necklace around her neck.  But Peter wasn't so dumbstruck.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed. "You died. I watched you die! I felt you die!"

"Oh I died alright." Malia nodded, her voice hoarse as if she hadn't used it in weeks. then the blade shot from her hand as if pulled by an invisible string. It pierced Peter's throat as if it was nothing. The ice shattered as it came in contact with the wall behind Peter but it didn't matter. Stiles almost covered his ears as he heard Peter gargle and struggle for a breath he would never find again. Within seconds it was silent again.

"How?" Lydia asked softly. 

"Magic." Nioru hissed. "Void magic." 

Malia stared at Nioru, a cold stare. She probably had no idea who the marked woman was.

"Young girls like you shouldn't dabble with Void magic." Nioru spoke condescendingly. As if she were the one standing on her feet with the entire room lying on the ground. As if to claim her rightful place she stood up slowly. 

"I'm not a little girl." Malia whispered, then she turned around. Turning her back to Nioru. She slowly picked up the book and lifted it, then she turned around. Stiles noticed how her arms shook as if she had a terrible fever. He remembered how Kai'tan felt when he had touched the book.

Nioru summoned another dagger in her hand and threw it at Malia. Malia pushed it away with a flick of her hand. A little air magic Stiles knew."

"Fool!" Nioru shouted. Stiles had only seen her once, but he knew he should be scared of Nioru was visibly stressed. "You're not strong enough to handle the power! You cannot-"

Then Malia opened the book and all hell broke loose. 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

A long chapter, but I just couldn't find a good point to stop the chapter.

 

 


	30. Chapter 30

 

*Note

I have changed some of the pack dynamics a bit. So they are different from the Teen Wolf universe, but still whenever I talk of Shapeshifters, I'm talking about the good ole Teen Wolf werewolves :)

\---

 

Thick black smoke exploded from the opened book, filling the entire room. Stiles couldn't see anything and he tried not to breathe. He couldn't imagine this vile darkness entering his body. Just being in it's presence felt wrong. 

The smoke then stirred and moved as if it were a whirlpool of dark water. It quickly receded as if someone had opened a drain. After a few seconds, Stiles was completely smoke free and could see the wall of blackness moving away from him. 

Derek stepped out of the smoke, he had been closer to Malia than Stiles.

"Stiles!" He shouted and he ran towards the younger boy, taking his head in his hands. "Are you alright." Derek turned Stiles' head to see if he could find any wounds or something else but Stiles quickly shook him off. 

The black smoke had grown smaller and smaller until it only enveloped Malia. Her silhouette clearly visible in the whirling smoke. It fitted her as if someone had conjured a woman made completely out of smoke. 

Nioru was crying, but it looked more like angry tears to Stiles. He could not feel sorry for her though. Allison looked at Stiles quizzically, nodding toward Malia's shape and raising an eyebrow as if to ask. "Should I kill her?"

Stiles shook his head. He doubted whether an arrow would even hurt her right now. 

Suddenly Malia appeared through the smoke, but she hadn't stepped through. The smoke had soaked into her skin. Her body absorbing every last bit of it. Until a few tendrils of thin smoke circled around her from the ground. An invisible wind swept up, blowing her hair.

Her eyes were closed.

"Malia?" Stiles asked. "Are you there?"

Her eyes opened and it felt like a shockwave had blasted through the room. Maybe it actually had, Stiles couldn't be sure. But everyone stumbled like it had. Her eyes were a deep violet now.

"Barely." She smirked. She rolled her head into her neck and laughed loudly. "It feels so good." She threw her hand in the air and a beam of pure blackness shot out of it. So dark it looked like you would be sucked into it if you looked at it long enough.  It pierced the roof like it was nothing. Then another mark appeared, as if burned into her skin. Purple and glowing. It looked like a circle with a swirling line inside that ended in the middle of the circle. After a few seconds the glowing stopped.

"Malia!" Stiles shouted and stepped towards her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm a servant of Shiuren." She shrugged. Like it wasn't important at all.

"But you were helping me!" Stiles countered. "You served the Light."

"I died, Stiles!" She snapped. Then she laughed again, it was like she had lost her mind. "What has the Light ever done for me? I'm alive because of the Void." She touched her purple crystal necklace as if to emphasize this.

"The void is corrupting you." Derek spoke.

"Beggars can't me choosers." Malia snarled. Then she looked at Stiles. "I'm sorry Stiles, it's nothing personal." She then raised her hand, pointing her palm at him. "Although you were a bit whiny most of the time."

A beam of blackness shut out of it and fired at Stiles. His vision shifted red and the beam crashed into a wall of light inches from his chest.

"Don't do this!" He hissed. He could feel Kai'tan inside of him, clawing out. "We can still help you."

"I don't need help." Malia replied and added another hand, strengthening the beam. Stiles felt his defense crumbling and Kai'tan got closer to the surface. His vision was flickering between red and normal.

From the corner of his eye he saw Scott wrestling one of the cultists down to the ground and taking the cultist's sword. He then made a beeline to Malia, but was stopped by Nioru. 

"I thought you hated her." Scott asked incredulous.

"I serve the Void." She replied, tear streaks down her face. She then fired an orb of void and Scott ducked out of the way. Suddenly the world spend and Stiles was on the ground, a burning feeling in his chest. 

Stiles had let his cover down and Malia had taken advantage of it.

"Seems your precious light can only stop darkness." Malia smiled. Slowly stepping closer to Stiles, who scrambled backwards. 

An arrow shot at Malia but with a flick of her hand it burst into flames and fell down. She wasn't even looking. She hurled another ball of fire at Stiles but this time he wasn't looking at Scott. Though he could hear metal clashing.

Stiles thrust his hand forward and a gust of wind blew from it. The ball of fire increased in size and was now heading for Malia. She quickly diminished it with her hands. 

Suddenly her eyes turned pitch black and her smirk made way for a snarl. A burst of Void energy shot from her hands at Stiles, but this was way stronger than he had anticipated. He held up his hands, creating a screen of light, but it shattered like glass at impact and Stiles was hurled through the air. He landed on the ground with a loud thud, his whole body ached.

 **"Fool."** It wasn't Malia's voice that was speaking now.  **"You think you are a match for me?"** Malia threw Stiles through the room again, with an unseen force. But Stiles knew she used air. She didn't even need void to beat him. And he knew that.

However, a dark aura was slowly forming around her. At first it took her shape, but then it grew more monstrous. The aura even growing wings and horns. She threw Stiles around like a rag doll and anything he tried was easily deflected. 

Derek ran for Malia but quickly all the cultists in the room gather around her, to guard her. As if she needed guarding. Stiles thought bitterly.

Malia kept firing attacks at him and he barely managed to dodge them. Then she pushed him up against the wall.

As his head hit the wall, he gasped. Something within him was severed and he felt it. His eyes turned red and he roared. Stiles wasn't in control of his body anymore. But he was fully conscious. He could feel an amazing energy flowing within him, and knew that Kai'tan had taken control. 

He broke through Malia's iron grasp and with a thrust of his hand, she was flying backwards through the room, ending against a wall. Stiles arm was now covered in a gold aura, like Malia's. An ethereal gold mist created a strong claw around Stiles' hand, and he didn't have to look to know his entire body was covered by Kai'tan's powerful energy.

He looked at Derek to see him fighting two cultists at once. They were both armed with black daggers but Derek managed to evade them both. Stiles' body was about to turn to Malia when Stiles' mind spoke up.

" _No, we help him!"_

 **"Shiuren is our priority!"** Kai'tan spoke with an air of authority.

" _I don't care."_ Stiles growled, and to his surprise, he could control his body again, if only for a split second. He turned to face Derek's fight again. Then Kai'tan took over again. But he raised Stiles' arm and fired a blast of pure light, nearly blinding everyone in the room. The light hit one of the cultists and exploded on impact, sending the other one flying as well. 

Derek looked at Stiles but Stiles couldn't look back. Kai'tan was fully in control again and headed for Malia who had scrambled up. She leaped at Stiles. The black aura made her look like a monstrous bat. Stiles jumped involuntarily and they clashed midair. As soon as they made contact, Stiles felt an incredibly power course through him. 

A pillar of pure light shot at the sky, accompanied by a pillar of pure darkness. they tangled in each other until they both spiraled through the roof of Za'er into the night sky outside, but Stiles and Malia were still in the round chamber. But all around them moved as they exchanged blows in the air. The ground moved and rumbled. Giant pieces of the ceiling collapsed, barely missing any of the people. I felt as if an earthquake hit, but it lasted way too long for an actual earthquake. 

Then suddenly Stiles and Malia moved at the speed of light. Ascending within the pillars through the roof and into the night sky. Leaving his friends to fend for themselves.

 

-

 

Derek saw blurs of black and gold speeding through the room, but had been too busy fighting for his life to see it any clearer. Then his two attackers were knocked out by some sort of light explosion.

He turned around to see Stiles staring at him, but the look in his eyes wasn't Stiles. Hell, his eyes weren't even Stiles'. Where Stiles' eyes were a whiskey brown, these eyes were fiery red. Stiles was enveloped in a gold aura that made him look like a human sized dragon. Golden ethereal wings sprouted from his back and even a tail swiped the floor behind him. Stiles then jumped at Malia and the two met in the air.

Two giant beams of energy erupted from the both of them and shot through the roof, making debris fall down. Then Stiles and Malia were gone in a literal flash. The entire room was shaking and groaning.

Derek looked around room. Allison seemed to be out of arrows but was busy slashing a cultist open with two short blades she had sheathed on her back. Scott and Isaac were both fighting Nioru, who seemed to be moving unnaturally fast. Kira was holding her own against Jennifer Blake, who seemed to have conjured two daggers out of Void energy.

Lydia was standing against the wall, a cultist closing in on her. she was holding a piece of debris as if she would use it as a weapon, but the look in her eyes told Derek she had no idea how. 

Derek cursed himself. How could he forget about Lydia. The girl has never wielded a weapon in her life and now she's left in the deep end. Derek sprinted towards her and jumped between Lydia and the cultist. 

He wasted no time in slicing the cultist's throat. The man fell down and his hood revealed his face, which was marked like Nioru. Albeit less. 

Derek turned around to Lydia.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She nodded, her eyes like saucers. Then she pointed behind Derek. He turned around and another cultist headed for them. Derek leaped at him and knocked him down. When the stranger was on the ground, Derek slashed their chest to ribbons.

He looked up, but when he did, he wished he hadn't.

Scott and Isaac were still battling Nioru, but as Isaac lunged at her, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. She then appeared behind Scott. In her hands she held a sword made completely out of darkness. She thrust it in Scott's back. It impaled him and came out through his abdomen.

Scott looked at the blackness sprouting from his chest in surprise. Isaac's shout cut through Derek's bones. The curly haired boy launched himself at Nioru with twice the energy.  Derek raced towards them and aided Isaac in his attack. He was surprised by Nioru's agility, but he managed to evade many of her strikes.

She disappeared once as well, but as soon as she did, Derek knew he had to get out of there. He sprinted away and she appeared very close to where Derek had been before. As soon as she was back, Derek ran back and attacked her again.

They were all interrupted by an incredible light from above. Everyone of them stopped their fighting, including Nioru and Jennifer. They all looked up to what was happening in the sky above them. Then a drop of rain fell down. It hit Derek in the forehead.

Then another, then another. The rain started to increase until it was quite literally pouring, blurring their vision. Suddenly Nioru disappeared again, in a cloud of smoke that was chased away by the rain.

Derek ran away from her again. But when he looked around and she still hadn't returned, he looked around. Every cultist was dead and Jennifer was gone too. Kira was looking around as well. 

When Derek decided it was safe, he ran back to Isaac, who was kneeling next to a coughing Scott. 

The rumbling and shaking of the room stopped.

"He's dying Derek!" Isaac said.  He was crying. "Can we do something?" 

Derek looked at Isaac.

"No human can survive this wound." Allison had crouched next to them and Derek hadn't even noticed. All he noticed was Stiles' best friend lying in Isaac's arms, coughing up blood.

"No human." Lydia repeated, she had joined them. "Derek..."

"You can turn him" Derek spoke directly to Isaac.

"What?" Isaac asked.

"Turn him." Derek repeated. "If he's a werewolf, he might survive."

"Can't you do it?" Isaac frowned, looking from Scott to Derek.

Derek shook his head. You didn't have to be psychic to see what was happening between Scott and Isaac. "You must be the one to bite him." 

Isaac slowly moved towards Scott's arm.

"Hurry!" Lydia shrieked. "He's fading fast." 

Isaac's eyes glowed golden as he bit Scott's arm. When he pulled back he had blood around his mouth. He looked at Scott, still crying.

Scott's eyes were closed and it was hard to see whether he was still breathing, but Derek could clearly hear his heartbeat, though it was faint.

"Now what do we do?" Isaac asked. "He isn't waking up."

"We wait." Derek spoke grimly. "And see if the bite takes."

"What do we do after that?" Allison asked. They all looked at her. They hadn't thought of that. The plan was to get Stiles to open the tome. That was it. Now everything was messed up and nobody knew what to do.

"First we find Stiles." Derek spoke. "Then we'll see."

"That won't be hard." Kira said. She pointed up. They could all see Stiles and Malia fighting their battle in the air. But something was wrong. They seemed a lot closer than before. 

Derek ran to the hole in the wall that had let them in. When he stepped through it his feet found nothing but air and he almost fell, but he managed to grab hold of the edge just in time. 

Whatever had happened. They weren't underground anymore. In fact, they were way up in the air. Whatever Stiles and Malia had done. Za'er was gone. In it's place was a mountain, and they were on it's peak. Shiuren's shrine was the top. A narrow way led down from the doorway to somewhere Derek couldn't see, but it might be a way out. 

"Guys!" He called. "Something's happened-"

Suddenly the bright light that had illuminated them from the sky, went out. All they could see in the sky, was Malia's black form. But Stiles was gone.

 

\--

 

Stiles and Malia were midair. There was a reasonable distance between them They had just left his friends behind and were now high above Za'er. Or what was left of it. All they did was stare at each other for a while. 

"Come on. Kai'tan." Malia smirked. Though she didn't raise her voice, Stiles could hear her from far away. "Show your true power. Don't hold back."

"I won't listen to you!" Kai'tan spoke, but now he used Stiles' voice. "You are a disgrace to this world." 

Without warning, Malia fired a blast of black energy at Stiles. Stiles countered with his own burst of light. The collision created a bright blast. At the same time thunder roared through the sky and rain fell down.

"You were never strong enough to defeat me." Malia laughed. Stiles knew it was Shiuren talking. "In our thousand years of battle, you've never been able to."

"I don't need to beat you." Kai'tan spoke. "Just stop you." Stiles held out his hand and thought of his staff. He could really use it now. Then from somewhere below him, his staff came flying towards him. He yanked it out of the air and immediately a beam of light erupted from it like a strong stream of liquid fire. It was countered with a continuous stream of Void. The two fought for dominance but neither seemed to budge. 

The two beams met in an orb of black fighting gold. Suddenly Malia roared and the aura grew bigger. So big it seemed as if it would swallow both of them whole. The black shape of Shiuren, bound by Malia's body was huge. With it's wings spread, it would block the sun for miles and miles. 

The Void threatened to overtake the parted orb, but Kai'tan roared as well. Stiles felt a power within him he never would've believed. He almost feared it would burn him up from the inside. He felt his aura grow as well. It must be nearly as big if not as big as Shiuren's. 

They continued to fight like that for what felt like hours. Both of them throwing all of their energy into that single beam. It must be visible from miles away. 

Then out of nowhere, a blast of something hit Stiles in the back. He staggered and for a second everything seemed to stop. then he saw Malia smirk and with a thrust of her hands, the Void conquered the light and blackness spread through the stream of energy until it hit Stiles. He was blown back and fell down. Kai'tan seemed to be knocked out. As he fell he could see Nioru falling through the sky as well.

He didn't know how, but somehow he knew Nioru had shot him in the back. Then in a cloud of smoke she disappeared. But Stiles kept falling. Plummeting to his death he assumed. The ground miles beneath him. If he would even live to see the ground. Whatever hit him hurt like hell.

He saw a mountain next to him as he fell. That wasn't here before right? He kept falling until he was pretty sure he heard the ground closing in. He didn't even realize he was crying. He had fucked up his one quest. He had failed everyone he loved. His dad. His mom. Scott. Dere-

He hit the ground. 

But whatever Kai'tan had done. Stiles was still breathing. As if Kai'tan had cushioned his fall. His staff clenched into his right hand he was alone. In the sand of The Draught. With rain pouring down on him. 

He felt himself slip away. 

"Stiles?!" 

What was that? Was that voice real?

"Stiles where are you?!" A voice shouted. Stiles was sure he heard it.

"Stiles?!" 

Stiles wanted to shout. To say that yes, he was here. But he couldn't find the strength. He could only whisper and that wouldn't help him.

"Stiles?! If you're alive, please answer!" A female voice now shouted.

"Stiles?!" 

Stiles realized the voices sounded further away each time he heard them. He had to do something. With the last of his strength he lifted his staff. The last bit of Kai'tan's energy he felt, he surged through the staff. A bright light appeared above it. Like a beacon.

"I see something!" He heard. He smiled. Even that hurt. His eyelids felt heavier and heavier. He wouldn't be awake for much longer. He blinked. But he must've closed his eyes longer than he though, because suddenly he was surrounded by his friends. All crying, except for Derek.

"Derek." Stiles smiled despite the pain. He whispered "You're here." 

Derek nodded, an unreadable expression on his face. 

Stiles didn't have long. 

"Where's Scott?" He whispered, his voice broken. 

"Isaac's got him." Derek smiled a weak smile. "Don't worry."

"Kira!" Stiles turned to her, black spots dancing in his sight. "I have though of a name for the staff you gave me." He smiled.

"What is it?" Kira tried to smile through her tears.

"Beacon." Stiles almost chuckled.

Then he closed his eyes.

 

 

 

-

 

 

WRITERS NOTE

THIS IS NOT THE END!!! I just realized that the way I wrote it made it seem like the end of the fix. IT IS NOT DON'T WORRY!

OKAY BYE i hope you like it and please comment what you think :):)


	31. Chapter 31

Stiles was running. From what he didn't know. All he knew was he had to get away. The space around him was pitch black. It looked as though night had covered the entire world.No. This was even darker than the deepest night.

Behind him a deep thunder sounded. But not like a thunderstorm. As if something gigantic had stepped into the blackness. Almost simultaneously with the roaring sound, a bright fiery light illuminated everything around Stiles. Then it faded away.

Another step, another blaze. Something roared. A dragon. Stiles was running from a dragon.

He couldn't remember why or how, but he knew he had to keep running.

The steps kept coming faster. As if the dragon was increasing speed. Fire suddenly roared and Stiles turned around. Instead of Shiuren, it was Kai'tan chasing him. The fire came from Kai'tan's mouth. It desperately spread across the room. It looked dead set on setting everything ablaze.

The fire reached Stiles and he screamed as a searing heat surged over his body.

Then as if it never happened, it was gone. Not a sound was heard. Stiles almost thought he imagined it. He opened his eyes and the space was completely black again.

Then from the corner of his eye, Stiles saw a light blur moving. He turned to see what it was, but it had disappeared as soon as he blinked.

The sound of footsteps from very far away. Stiles turned all the way around but he couldn't see who the footsteps belonged to.

A woman's laughter. Stiles turned around once more.

There in the distance he could see a woman. A soft white dress seemed to dance around her with every movement she made. A white scarf covered her head, only two small locks of chestnut brown hair escaping beside her eyes. She turned around and looked him in the eyes. A round friendly face stared at him. Caramel colored eyes gazing into his. She were standing almost a hundred feet away, but Stiles could see her smile clearly. Her light clothing almost seemed to brighten up the entire space. Almost.

He blinked and she was gone. Her laughter was replaced by a man groaning. But Stiles knew this voice. He looked down and at his feet was Scott lying on the ground. His best friend was asleep, but looked like he was having a terrible nightmare. Stiles watched in horror as Scott grimaced and sweated. Thrashing in his sleep, blood was seeping through the sleeve of his left arm.

Stiles bent down to shake Scott awake, but as soon as his hand made contact, Scott turned into a pile of ashes and blew away, through Stiles' hands. Even though there was no wind at all.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Stiles smiled as he finally heard a familiar voice speaking to him. He turned around to look at Isaac but when he turned around, all he could see was another cloud of ashes being swept away by an unknown force.

"Nothing is the same." A female voiced sounded from all around.

Stiles was adamant in not turning around immediately this time. If anyone was watching him right now, he'd probably look insane. But when he turned around after a few seconds, the lady in white was standing there. Not fifty feet away from him. She looked at him, her smile serene and composed. She opened her mouth to speak, and her voice sounded louder in Stiles' ears than it should have.

"Nothing is the same."

"What does that mean?" Stiles asked.

Her smile widened and she turned around to walk away.

"Nothing is the same." She called again and then she was gone. Swallowed by the darkness around them.

"What does that mean?! What is going on?!" Stiles shouted into the empty darkness. Partly to himself, but hoping someone out there would hear. "Where am I?"

"You need to rest!" Lydia's voice spoke from somewhere behind Stiles.

"I'm trying!" Stiles shouted. Then Derek appeared in front of him.

He looked incredibly tired. He was carrying someone, though Stiles couldn't see who. Well, he could. But it didn't come through. He could see someone lying limp in Derek's arms. The person was paler than someone should be, but that was all Stiles knew. As if someone had blurred that particular part of Stiles' vision.

The person Derek was carrying burst into flames and expanded until all Stiles could see was a bright white light. When that was gone, the entire space was black again.

Stiles didn't even know he was crying until he felt the tears on his cheeks.

A small flower grew out of the smooth black ground beneath him. A white flower. The petals faded from white to completely red at the ends, making them look almost on fire.

"Dragonhope." Stiles' dad whispered, but this wasn't a hallucination or a dream or whatever this was. This sentence was a memory. Stiles could clearly remember how he had once picked this flower and proudly showed it to his father.

"It's very rare." His father had told him. "If you'd left it there, maybe more would grow." 

Stiles looked at the flower, but didn't pick it this time. Maybe more would grow. This place could certainly use them. 

He walked on, not knowing where he was going.

"The Capitol will fall." A grim deep voice spoke. But nobody was there.

Then suddenly the entire spaced lit up, but not instantly. The blackness slowly turned lighter until the entire space was a pleasant yellowish white. It was definitely bright, but it didn't hurt the eyes. 

It felt warmer too. Not that Stiles had noticed the cold before, but he now noticed the feeling of warmth. Like a steady fire in a hearth. 

But it kept growing brighter and warmer, until it got uncomfortable. Within seconds Stiles felt like he'd been sweating for hours. His shirt sticking to his back. The heat was almost unbearable. When he thought it would literally kill him, there was one last thing he heard before everything stopped.

"Nothing is the same."

 

 

Stiles opened his eyes. He was in a bed. Cream colored sheets covered him from the neck down. On the side of the room there was a small but steady fire burning in the hearth. 

A wide eyed boy sat in a small wooden chair next to the door. The boy couldn't be older than 12 At the sight of Stiles moving his head he shot up, his large eyes widening even more. Without a word he opened the door and ran out, the door slamming shut behind him.

"He's awake!" Stiles could hear the boy shout. "Viu'tan is awake!" 

"Viu'tan?" Stiles asked himself. "What the fuck is a Viu'tan?"

Stiles tried to get out of the bed but whoever tucked him in, didn't want him to get out. The covers were tucked so tightly, Stiles couldn't move anything except his neck. That didn't mean he didn't try.

The door opened and an old man strode in, the boy right behind him. The old man looked like someone out of the stories. A long white beard reached all the way to his belly and his robe was so incredibly white, Stiles would almost think he was the actual Herald Of Light.

"Viu'tan." The man's beard shifted, but the crinkles by his eyes told Stiles he was smiling. "You're awake. It took you long enough."

"Yeah, hi." Stiles nodded awkwardly. "But I'm not Viu'tan. My name is Stiles." 

"Yes." The man nodded as if he had never thought anything else." "Your name is Stiles. But you are Viu'tan."

"What is-"

"It means Dragon of Light." 

Stiles beamed when Lydia entered the room. She returned the favor my grinning.

"These people still use the Ancient Language." She told Stiles, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "At least some of it. Viu means dragon and Tan means light. In the Ancient Language people used apostrophes to say 'of'."

Stiles frowned at her, he wasn't really looking forward to a linguistic course.

"Kai'tan means Bringer Of Light, actually." She nodded at her own comment. "I've been reading so much here."

"Where are we?" Stiles asked her.

Lydia frowned at his dejection of her happiness, but Stiles didn't care for now. All he wanted to know is where he was and where his friends were.

"You're in Raelynn" The bearded man spoke. 

"It means Scar Edge." Lydia piped up.

"Indeed." The bearded man nodded. "We are the village closest to The Scar, or I believe you call it The Draught."

"How did we get here?" Stiles asked. The last thing he remembered was his fight with Malia. He'd fallen from the sky and blacked out.

"According to your friends you walked here." The old man replied.

How could they have walked here? The Draught was known for it's size.

"We walked here?" Stiles frowned.

"It took us 18 days." Lydia spoke, suddenly not so happy anymore. "Derek carried you all the way."

The old man muttered something but Stiles wasn't listening. 18 days had passed? He'd been unconscious for 18 entire days? But more important, Derek had carried him for 18 days?!

"Where is he? I mean, where are they?" Stiles asked. 

"Everyone's okay." Lydia smiled again. "Partly thanks to Raemon." She added, touching the old man's shoulder.

"It's my pleasure." Raemon smiled. "I'm honored to do my part in the prophecy."

"Prophecy?" Stiles asked. He was sick of not knowing, but there were more important things than prophecies right now. "I want to see my friends!" He demanded. Then he winced at his own harshness. "I thank you for your aid, Raemon. But I need to see my friends right now."

Raemon smiled again. Stiles had the feeling he almost always did.

"Then I'll take you to them."


	32. Chapter 32

Raemon released Stiles from his satin trap. When Stiles stood up it was obvious he hadn't been upright in a while. His legs wobbled and he definitely wasn't stable. But after a few steps he regained his movement.

"I'm off to the library." Lydia announced once she saw that Stiles would make it. Then she was gone, a blur of red hair and wavy dress. 

"We have on of the most expanded libraries in the Southern Realm." Raemon smiled at Stiles as he went ahead, expecting Stiles to follow. "Your friend has been buried in books all week."

"All week?" Stiles frowned. "How long have we been here?" 

"Today is your seventh day since you arrived." Raemon replied. 

That's much more than 18 days, Stiles realized. He'd been unconscious for more than three weeks. What has he missed? 

Raemon started talking about the history of Raelynn but Stiles wasn't listening. Instead he just looked around. The sun was shining brightly and though a breeze somewhat cooled the air, it was still hot. The smell of cooked meat hung in the air, making Stiles' stomach growl. But he would eat after he'd seen all his friends.

Raelynn was bigger than Beacon Hills had been before it burned down. Children were playing in the street and women were hanging laundry outside. Behind the wooden houses, Stiles could see a city wall made out of wood. It shielded the entire city from outside, except for a giant gate.

They entered a yard where a large group of men were practicing. Wooden training swords clashing. Many of them were shirtless. Stiles looked around to see but unfortunately Derek wasn't one of them. He did however see his best friend.

Scott was surrounded by three men, every one of them bigger than him, yet he danced between them as if they weren't even there. He deflected all their strikes with his own sword. 

There was something different about Scott, but Stiles couldn't quite place it. His friend was always good with a sword, but now he seemed faster, more agile. 

With a quick strike of his foot, Scott had kicked one of the men's feet from beneath him. The man fell down and he lost his grip on the sword. Scott kicked the sword away. He turned around to face the other two while the defeated man walked away to grab his sword, and then went to the side.

Scott managed to strike the wrist of the guy to his left. He winced and dropped his sword. Scott grabbed it in midair and with a quick turn he had both his sword against the last man's neck. For a second they just stared at each other and then they all laughed. 

Scott returned the sword to it's rightful owner and strutted off the training ground, to the side. There on a bench was Isaac watching proudly. Stiles watched as Scott walked to Isaac and gave him a quick kiss, then sat next to him and started talking about something.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Raemon shook Stiles out of his haze. "Go see your friends."

Stiles nodded and did just that. He slowly walked towards Scott and Isaac, not wanting to seem desperate. But that failed when Scott's head perked up and his eyes found Stiles. Scott was off the bench before Stiles could blink and then he dashed at Stiles. 

The two met in a hug that could as well have been a tackle. Scott held Stiles so tight Stiles thought he could hear his bones cracking. 

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through Stiles' head and his vision flashed red. Then within seconds it was gone, but Scott had stepped back and everyone on the training fields had stopped and stared at him. 

"What's wrong?" Stiles asked Scott. "What happened to me."

"You've been doing that." Scott grimaced. "Since we found you that time."

"Doing what?"

"Getting your dragon aura thing." Scott said. "It just happened again."

Stiles immediately knew what Scott meant. When Kai'tan was wide awake and in control of Stiles' body, a golden dragon like aura surrounded him as if he ware a dragon himself.

"Nothing to see here!" Scott shouted at the onlookers. "Go back to practice." 

Stiles watched in amazement as everyone did as Scott said.

"Since when are you in charge?" Stiles chuckled.

"Long story." Scott shrugged.

"They call him Kal'Viu." Isaac had joined them. He smiled and nodded at Stiles. They'd never really been close friends. "It means Sword Of The Dragon."

"What does that mean?" Stiles frowned. Since when did everyone speak the Ancient Language.

"It means that he is your right hand man." Isaac said, patting Scott's shoulder. "Which means he is second in command."

"What are you talking about? Command of what?"

"We'll get you something to eat and then we'll explain everything to you." Raemon spoke from behind Stiles.

Stiles was about to argue but his stomach spoke for him.

"Where is Derek?" He asked. "And Kira and Allison?"

"They're with the hunters." Scott said. "They'll be back before dinner. In fact, they'll bring dinner."  

Scott led Stiles and Isaac through the city, they had agreed to meet up with Raemon after Stiles had eaten something. They went to a great house. It would have been a mansion in Beacon Hills. Scott opened the door.

"This is where we all sleep. Our entire group." Isaac said.

"Like a club house." Scott grinned. 

In the middle of the room there was a long table. It was filled with humps of bread and steaming chicken and other kinds of spiced food Stiles had never seen before. They all hurried to the table and started eating.

If Stiles didn't know better he would think Scott was the starving one, the way he practically devoured the chicken. But he got his explanation when they explained to him what had happened after he hit the ground that night.

Stiles almost choked on his chicken when he heard that Nioru almost killed Scott. Isaac had bitten Scott and fortunately that saved him. But Scott had only woken up after a full day. 

They had found Stiles and started walking somewhere. None of them knew where they were going. The storm Stiles and Malia had created kept going for a full week. That was how they'd saved water. Allison and Kira took care of the food. They shot every living animal they could find and split it in the group.

Derek had carried Stiles all the way, even though Stiles sporadically literally burst with energy, burning him. His Shapeshifter power would heal him. According to Scott he hadn't complained once. Even though Lydia and the rest insisted he should rest every now and then.

When they reached Raelynn, Derek had delivered Stiles and when Stiles was put in bed Derek sat in a chair next to him and fell asleep within seconds. It took everyone four days to convince Derek to leave the room to eat and wash himself.

"That's dedication." Scott nodded. 

Stiles didn't know what to say. He was touched by how deeply Derek apparently cared for him.

They talked some more for a while until Lydia came through the door with a thick black leather book beneath her arm.

"I finally found something useful about Void magic!" She said before slamming the book down on the table. "The spell Malia used to revive herself. It's an ancient ritual. I needs a pure crystal. Then by using some sort of Void magic, she put a fragment of her being into the crystal. When Peter killed her, her being left her body. But the spell made whatever piece of her was in that crystal, come back to her body."

"So it isn't Malia." Stiles said. 

"No, it is." Lydia shook her head. "But only a small part of who Malia used to be."

"The rest is Shiuren." Stiles muttered. Lydia nodded this time.

"And apparently!" Lydia started again, turning a few pages. The one she opened was filled with the purple symbols that covered Nioru and now Malia. "Void magic is so vile, that it leaves a mark on whoever casts it. One rune for every different Void spell you use."

"That's why Malia suddenly had one." Isaac piped up.

Stiles shivered at the thought of Nioru and how many runes she had. She must have done some terrible things in her life to earn that many.

"And that's why the Cultists are always covered. To prevent the world from knowing about them." Scott said. 

"Nioru must be very dangerous." Stiles said. At the mention of her name Scott's hand brushed his chest as if to check if he still had a scar from Nioru's void blade.

"Yes." Lydia nodded. "She's very powerful. She can travel through the Void."

"So could Jennifer." Scott frowned.

"Jennifer could make portals, and it cost her a lot of effort. Nioru can switch between worlds as if she lives in both. I've read about it in this book. She might be the closest to The Forbidden than any other person, including Malia."

It was hard for Stiles to think about The Forbidden. All this time it felt like Shiuren was the reason behind everything, but Shiuren is merely a servant. 

"So what do we do now?" Stiles asked. "I couldn't defeat Malia, even though I've been with Kai'tan longer, she still seems stronger. Now she's spending quality time with Shiuren, how am I ever gonna defeat her?"

"She was only stronger because she surrendered herself to Shiuren. Shiuren is in total control of her now, you never surrendered to Kai'tan."

"Should I?" Stiles asked. "Should I let Kai'tan take over if that means we can win?"

"No!" All three of them exclaimed as one.

"Then we'll never get you back." Scott said. 

"We'll make you fulfill the prophecy." Lydia was suddenly smiling.

Here they were talking about a prophecy again. 

"What prophecy?" Stiles asked.

Lydia then explained to him that the Southern Realm which consisted of everything south of The Draught, was completely separated from the North. In the Southern Realm there was a prophecy, about the Dragon Of Light. Lydia couldn't recite it yet, but she told Stiles that Raemon would explain everything to him very soon.

"Does the prophecy state th-"

The door opened and Derek came in.


End file.
